Lime Pointing
What is repointing...
it simply means refilling the outer parts of the joints in between the stone (or brick) where the mortar has weathered away.
Pointing is important because the ‘mortar joint’ is not the only important part of the aesthetic but it also keeps the building itself dry, which is very important in damp-weather.
It helps to protect the building in a couple of ways:
- Allowing moisture that is already inside of the wall to disappear when weather conditions are drier.
- Preventing the rainwater finding its way into the core of the wall or even to the inside face of the building through the joints between the stones or bricks.
Key Signs...
Brickwork is not always as solid and durable as it looks, it can fail if it has not been treated appropriately. We have outlined some of the main indicators that your brickwork needs repointing:
If the bricks on your property are damaged, it may not just be harming the appearance of your home; it will also let moisture penetrate your home and can even allow it to compromise the structural integrity of the entire building.
Brickwork that has not been pointed properly can lead to the wall picking up damage. This may be the case if cement mortar has been used for pointing, instead of traditional lime mortar. More contemporary mortar can also trap moisture, preventing it from escaping via the joints. This would force the moisture to emerge on the brick faces, where it could freeze in colder temperatures and cause the brick surface to crumble.
Have you noticed signs of damp in your home recently? If so, it could be rising damp, which decaying flooring or crumbling plaster can indicate. However, it could be “penetrating damp“, which can happen if water shifts from a high part of your home to another part further down. A common cause of penetrating damp is inadequate brickwork pointing, which can let water into the wall. If you want to prevent this from happening, repointing can be a great way to do so.
This is white deposits that form on brickwork due to water with dissolved salts rising to the surface. Now, this doesn’t usually damage the brickwork of your property, but it does ruin the aesthetic of your help with our cleaning services.
Lime pointing
BREATHABLE...
Lime mortars are vapour permeable - allowing moisture to evaporate and buildings breathe. This significantly reduces the risk of trapped moisture, damage to building fabric and mould growth. Eliminating trapped moisture in brickwork reduces the risk of frost damage and significantly improves thermal efficiency.
FLEXIBLE...
The flexibility of Lime mortars significantly reduces the risk of cracking and allows for slight movement and thermal expansion throughout the life of the building.
Lime reduces the need for movement joints
Cement mortars are brittle and typically require a significant amount of movement joints. Lime is far less susceptible to this and requires less than half the amount of joints that cement mortar requires.
Lime is produced at a far lower temperature than cement, therefore requiring significantly less energy to produce. Lime has a unique ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, further minimising the total CO2 emissions.
