repointing of all types

Why do masonry joints deteriorate?

Although masonry work is known for its aesthetic appeal and durability against adverse weather, the climate extremes in Montreal affect wall joints and masonry surfaces.

The frequent freezing and thawing cycles are damaging to mortar joints. In fact, the water that could not evaporate and is retained in the materials freezes and can cause damage to the masonry. The joints between the masonry elements erode and become porous over time.

When should masonry joints be repaired? 

Consider repairing your masonry joints as soon as you notice that the mortar joints of your bricks and stones show signs of weakness such as crumbling, cracks or crevices. To prevent further damage, it is advisable to quickly carry out the appropriate masonry work and repair.

When the mortar joints are watertight and in good condition, many issues can be avoided:

• water ingress within your building
• formation of frost boil within your walls
• issues with the building envelope, such as the separation of brick or stone sections from the wall.  

These are problems that could endanger the safety of occupants and bystanders.

Furthermore, by making the repairs quickly, you will prevent the situation from getting worse and thus reduce the costs associated with the restoration. 

What is masonry repointing?

Repointing, also known as pointing or rejointing, is a masonry procedure that consists of carefully redoing the joints of the masonry after they have been stripped. More specifically, a section of degraded mortar is removed, and the joints are rebuilt with a new repointing mortar for improved adhesion to the masonry elements.

The goal of masonry repointing

1. First, the joints are repaired to avoid water ingress into the mortar, but also behind the wall. 
2. Secondly, repointing prevents the formation of a bulge or frost boil which may cause the collapse of sections of the wall or the entire wall. 
3. Finally, by repairing your wall, it will appear new again and will be protected against the adverse weather conditions of Montreal’s climate. 

How is the repointing process carried out? 

Specifically, repointing of brick or stone consists of:

1. Scraping away loose or unsound mortar to a depth of two and a half times the thickness of the joint.
2. Removing the mortar from both surfaces of the adjacent masonry and thoroughly cleaning the hollowed out joint.
3. Wetting the surface to limit water loss from the newly made mortar.
4. Filling the newly made joint in thin successive layers with a mortar compatible with the existing one. The mortar chosen for repointing will be more waterproof. 
5. Performing the finishing once the mortar has slightly hardened on the surface, by giving the new brick or stone joints the same finished look and profile as the existing ones.

Lifespan

By hiring qualified professionals such as masonry contractors for your repointing work, you will ensure that:

• the surfaces are adequately prepared, 
• the proper mortar is used, 
• that the curing conditions are observed to ensure watertightness of the entire structure. 

Correctly repaired mortar joints will restore your wall’s aesthetic appeal, effectiveness, and durability for decades to come. 

To ensure that the repair is long-lasting, a significant depth of mortar will need to be removed to rebuild it to new. The condition of the brick or stone in the wall may affect the repair: it can sometimes be best to remove the bricks or stones, clean them and reinstall them. That way you can give them a second life! 

If you would like to find out the cost of repointing your masonry, contact our team for more details or for a quote.