Cement and Sand Repointing in Guildford, and in Reading and the Surrounding Areas
Failed mortar, usually recognisable by cracked or crumbling material in the joints, is a potential threat to structural integrity. Over time, what is initially a cosmetic problem can become something more challenging. While mortar is a sacrificial layer by design, failures point to faster deterioration from water, wind and weather exposure.
Our cement repointing and sand repointing services tackle the issues related to failed mortar head-on and provide a responsive solution.
We offer a traditional mortar repointing service in:
Basingstoke | Guildford | Reading | Windsor
Lime Mortar Repointing Ltd can also undertake cement repointing and sand repointing in all nearby Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey areas.
Recommended Mortar Mixes
Repointing a cement and sand-based mortar requires a mix in correct ratios, and the joints are strengthened by packing materials into the joints at depths of between 15mm and 25mm. The addition of lime in hydrated form can boost flexibility, water retention and how your contractors work with materials. The process itself sees every joint cleaned and wetted, and the fresh mortar packed tightly into them.
- A 5:1 mix is often used for older brickwork installations
- A 4:1 mix is more suitable for modern brickwork
- A 3:1 mix is stronger and can be used for outdoor surfaces
Cement repointing and sand repointing are undertaken simultaneously as part of one mix, and are not individual services in themselves.
Application
Using cements and sands, with dyes that help us to match the colours of existing mortars, Lime Mortar Repointing Ltd can restore how the brickwork looks and the way in which it performs. To make a mortar more workable, a plasticiser can be added. For older buildings, our personnel add lime to a 5:1:1 mix to increase a mortar’s durability.
In terms of application, we remove failed mortar prior to the use of our combined cement repointing and sand repointing techniques.
These techniques include:
- Raking out old mortar to depths of up to 25mm
- Removing debris from the joints with brushes
- Wetting the joints to stop mortar dehydration
- Applying mortar into the joints using a trowel
- Using a pointing tool to compress the mortar
- Removing the excess mortar with a stiff brush
- leaving the fresh mortar pointing to fully cure
All common pitfalls, such as the overapplication of water or leaving the joints full of dust, are avoided by our time-served personnel.
Customers in Basingstoke, Guildford, Reading and Windsor, and those in the surrounding counties, can book in for cement repointing and sand repointing with confidence. Our main objective is to restore the structural integrity of brickwork using recommended techniques.
Your only objective is to choose the right service provider.
Lime Mortar Repointing Ltd has already repointed brickwork for many customers to date, drawing on 15 years of previous trade experience to create cement and sand mortar mixes in ratios which are proven to be effective not just for the substrate but also for the conditions.