How To Point Brick and Block using Mortar
How to repair Concrete Block or Stone
So your block garage has got cracks in the mortar joints and you would like to fix it. It really is not that hard of a job. If you are on a tight budget like I am then I will show you how to do it. It is either you fix it or hire someone else to repair it. Or wait for it to fall down. So all you need to repair it is a couple bags of Mortar Mix and a few simple tools.
Tools Needed See Photo A.
Pointer
Small Trowel
Brick hammer
Mortar box or Wheel barrow
Shovel
Mortar Bag. It is easy to use a mortar bag and is an Inexpensive item to buy.
1. First thing that you need to do is clean or remove all the old loose cracked mortar that happens to be in the seams. Don’t knock the block loose. Sometime you have to point half the block then go back and knock the rest of the bad joint out. Don’t worry if it loose mortar falls inside the wall. See Photo B and C.
2. After removing the loose mortar. Mix up some mortar. Never mix the whole bag at one time. I usually mix about what I can use in about an hour. Get it fairly Sloppy if you are going to use a Mortar Bag. This is a recommended item because of the ease of use.
3. Fill the mortar bag about ½ full. See Figure D,E and F. Start squeezing it from the back filling the seam up with mortar. If it keeps falling in then put some on let it set a bit and go back to it in about 30 min.
4. Fill up all the seams that you can get with the first mix, when it starts setting up go back with a trowel and squeeze it into the seam scraping off any excess. See Figure G
5. Using the pointer and a bucket of water. See Photo H. Keep the pointer wet and not pressing hard unless it is needed. Match the existing point so it looks the same as what is already there. (That’s the grove in the joint). Trying not to knock it back into the wall. If you do then reapply more mortar.
6. Wait about 1 week then get a good quality concrete paint. Most that I use have a primer already in it. Get a high nap Roller and give it a coat of paint. You can’t tell the old from the new when it is done. I took a sample of the paint to a paint store to match the old color.
