During the process of building the wall, the seams between the bricks that make up the face are filled in an uneven manner. These unfilled joints need filling and adequate finishing in order to be effective.
Pointing is a procedure for fixing these mortar joints in order to enhance the attractiveness of the brick masonry and to preserve it from the effects of weathering processes. In this article, we will cover all there is to know about pointing, including the many types of pointing and much more.
See also: Types of building materials
Pointing: What is it?
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Pointing is the last step in completing mortar joints in brick or stone construction. The joints are scraped out to a depth of 13–20 mm, and the voids are filled with the proper mortar. When the cement has to be held, pointing might be used as an exterior finish instead of plaster because of the significant cost savings. Either cement mortar or lime mortar may be used to accomplish the pointing work.
Pointing: Objective
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When it comes to masonry construction that is exposed to the elements on the outside, the joints are thought of as the poorest and most susceptible locations through which precipitation or moisture might penetrate the structure. In addition to preserving the masonry joints from the corrosive effects of the environment, pointing work enhances the wall’s aesthetic value by highlighting the joint’s layout, thickness, hues, and texture.
Pointing: Types
The following is a list of the eight distinct forms of pointing that are employed in brick construction:
Beaded pointing
A steel tool with a concave shape is used in the beaded pointing technique. This causes the mortar to be forced into a masonry joint, which then causes grooves to be produced in the joint. The mortar joint may be given a very attractive look by using beaded pointing, but it is susceptible to deterioration quite fast.
Flush pointing
When using the flush-pointing technique, the mortar would be poured and forced into a joint. Thereafter, it is completed so that the borders of the brickwork or stones are flat with one another, resulting in a smooth look. The finishing touch is then added by gently cutting the edges with the help of a trowel and then a straight edge to complete the task.
Recessed pointing
Since this kind of pointing does not easily shed water, it is not recommended for use on exposed structures. Forcing mortar away from borders by 5 mm or more constitutes a recessed pointing. For this reason, recessed joints made from frost-resistant bricks are highly recommended.
Keyed pointing
Keyed pointing involves using a trowel to force mortar into joints before smoothing it flush with the masonry’s surface. Next, a length of thin steel is pressed against the joint from behind (6 mm diameter). A mortar joint will take the shape of an arched groove. The vertical joint is completed in the same way.
Keyed pointing vs traditional pointing methods: Comparison
- The strength of Keyed pointing is more than traditional pointing. This is because the grooves cut into the mortar and locks the masonry units so that they don’t shift or separate.
- Keyed pointing is more expensive compared to traditional pointing, as the time taken to create the grooves in the mortar is huge. However, the increased strength and durability this provides makes this a preferred choice.
Struck pointing
In this kind of pointing, the mortar will be first poured and pushed to match the surface of the brickwork, after which the top edge of the intersection is pressed about 10 millimetres inside the bottom corner. It will generate a gradient from top to bottom, allowing the rain wall to drain swiftly.
Tuck pointing
When doing tuck-pointing, you first fill the raked junction with mortar and then cut a 5 mm wide by 3 mm deep groove in the middle of the joint. To finish, white cement plaster with a 3 mm protrusion is pressed into the groove and smoothed out.
V-grooved pointing
V-grooved pointing is quite similar to the work that is done with keyed pointing. The joint was filled with mortar, and it was forced into place. Following this step, a V-shaped groove is cut into the joint using a tool that is fashioned like a V.
Weathered pointing
The technique of flush pointing may also be altered to create the look of weathered pointing. The surface of the pointer is maintained in an angled position, and its top edge is pushed about 10 millimetres within the face. It is regarded as highly sturdy, and weathered pointing pushes off rainwater. On the other hand, it is extremely difficult to accomplish.
Pointing: Method
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During the pointing process, these are the steps that need to be followed in order.
- With the assistance of the pointings tool, each of the joints in the brickwork is scraped out to a depth of between 10 and 15 millimetres.
- Comprehensive cleaning is performed on the dust and loose mortar.
- Small trowels are used to bring the mortar into frequent proximity with the joints after the old mortar has been pushed into the joints using the mortar.
- To get rid of surplus mortar, joints are either flushed, sunk, or elevated, according to the specifications, and then discarded.
- After three to four days in the case of lime mortar and ten days in the case of cement mortar, the completed product is allowed to cure.
Pointing: Things to remember
- The total mortar joint depth must be somewhere between 12 and 20 mm.
- Brushes or sponges should be used to clean up the loose mortar from the wall.
- Water is sprayed into the cracks and on the surface of the wall so that it remains damp for at least a few hours.
- With a tiny trowel, the prepared joints are filled with appropriate mortar.
- Sloppy mortar is removed by scraping it off the walls.
- If you’ve just finished pointing your wall with cement mortar, you should keep it damp for 7-10 days.
FAQs
What is the function of pointing?
What is the pointing material?
The mortar used to set stonework and bricks may have been manufactured from lime or, more recently, cement, based on the age of the structure.
What is the optimal mortar blend for pointing?
In most cases, a mortar mix ratio of 3:1 or 4:1 is used for bricklaying. There should be no more than four times as much mortar as sand in a pointing mix. With regards to the strength of the concrete, it is something that must be determined beforehand. It is recommended that concrete be mixed at a ratio of 1:2 mixture to materials.
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