Repointing some outdoor brickwork.

[Alan Medic]

Is this a DIY job that has pitfalls or can it be done easily? Any advice appreciated.

[DulwichFox]

I would wait until the frosts have gone.

DulwichFox

[KidKruger]

You're likely to make a mess if first attempt, if a front / public wall of house maybe best done by someone experienced.

And yeah - not best weather to point.

[Alan Medic]

Not a front wall and out of sight. I figured the weather needed to be better. Question is can you make a mess but it is still effective?

[lizbells6]

If it's an old wall, you need to use lime-based mortar, which is permeable, not cement, which is waterproof.

[KidKruger]

Huh ?

Because.... ?

[Alan Medic]

Waterproofing is the point of it.

[KidKruger]

But lime-based is not permeable.

[Alan Medic]

I haven't a clue. Looks like I'm not the only one.

[KidKruger]

No, you're on your own on this one AM.

[Help-Ma-Boab]

Medic, give it a bash man. The Craic be mighty.

[Alan Medic]

Alan Medic Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I haven't a clue. Looks like I'm not the only one.

I wasn't referring to you KK in case that's what you thought.

[lizbells6]

I think this is the theory:-

Lime based is permeable. This means that when old bricks get wet e.g. after heavy rain, the moisture in the bricks can wick away through the mortar by capillarity and disperse to dry out. If the mortar is waterproof, the moisture is locked in the bricks and comes through to the inside.

Modern bricks are different.

[red devil]

Alan Medic Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Alan Medic Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I haven't a clue. Looks like I'm not the only

> one.

>

> I wasn't referring to you KK in case that's what

> you thought.

Who were you referring to then?...

[Jeremy]

I've tried it before and it's way harder than it looks... the result was incredibly messy looking. It did fix the problem though (small damp patch), and it was only a small area. So maybe just go for it (in the Spring) and see how you get on?

[Alan Medic]

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Alan Medic Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Alan Medic Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > I haven't a clue. Looks like I'm not the only

> > one.

> >

> > I wasn't referring to you KK in case that's

> what

> > you thought.

>

>

> Who were you referring to then?...

Why are you interested?

[red devil]

To see whether you've got the balls to say who it is, and then the decency to offer an apology...

[Alan Medic]

Who should I apologise to when I confessed I don't have clue on the subject, which means I couldn't possibly judge which of two opposite opinions were correct? I presume one of them isn't. So no balls required or apology needed but if either party took something I wrote the wrong way I wonder why the hell you are so interested?

Lets say I have no balls and I am in the wrong and don't have the decency to apologise. What's it to you? You appear to have become a bit of a stalker recently. What you do with your time is your business but you should find something better to do than counts my balls and measure how decent you think I am or not.

[red devil]

The whimsical lady doth protest too much...

[Alan Medic]

Shallow response.

[Mick Mac]

Good point AM

[red devil]

Stick to the shallow end Mick, less chance of drowning...