Not sure if 'pointing' is the right word ???

Our house has some holes inbetween bricks were the cement/motor has fallen out.

I guess these should be filled before winter ?
Is this called pointing ?
Is there any special skill required ?
Is this expensive, or just a case of climbing a ladder with a trowel, etc ?

Thanks.
Velohead (aka avoid DIY if poss)

Yes, this is Pointing. :)

You can do it yourself but there is some skill invloved if you don't want excessive mortar all over the faces of your bricks. If the gaps between the bricks are quite deep that you need to fill you can buy a cheapish hand held gun to squirt the mortar into the gaps and just tidy it up with a trowel.

:)

Have a look here:

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea/searchresults.jsp;jsessionid=MRXW40QRHKAY2CSTHZOCF FI?_dyncharset=UTF-8&howMany=15&searchText=mortar+gun

Spares also available.

Or go on www.screwfix.co.uk (http://www.screwfix.co.uk), then put "mortar gun" into the search;)

Makes it relatively easy.

When mixing mortar, don't forget some plasticiser or washing up liquid, added to the water, and don't make it too sloppy;)

Alcazar

Didn't know mortar guns existed!! Sounds just what I want to fill joints in patio slabs (once I have pulled the grass out :)). Are they are re-usable if they are rinsed out after use? Would I necessarily need a spares kit as I won't be using it a lot? I guess a pack of pre-mix sand/cement would do the job? TIA David

Reusable? Yep, that's the whole idea.

Mortar mix? Depends. Once used one and the sand was so red it was like iron oxide. The cement set pink. I smashed it up and started again.

Wickes do single bag sand and small cement.......

Alcazar

BTW: best way to fill gaps in patio slabs: mix mortar dry, dump it over the cracks, brush it in, spray it with a mist gun, fine hose etc if it doesn't rain within a day or so, although the ground/air being damp now will send it off overnight.
;)

Many thanks, dl

mortar guns are crap ( any lumps of sand or cement just clog them up and your constantly having to clean the nozzle out ) use a pointing trowel mix the morter quite stiff ( try to match the shade of your existing mortar or its
going to look patchey ) usual mix is aprox 6 _ 1 cement any mess can be cleaned with brick acid laborious tast but has to be done to keep the weather out might be worthwile using a grinder to clear joint out as any loose mortar left in the joints will mean youl be doing it again in a year or so buy a
jointer to smooth the joints off once the mortar is setting ( drag it along The joints )
Im a bricklayer and i wont tutch this kind of job its a pain in the arse

mortar guns are crap ( any lumps of sand or cement just clog them up and your constantly having to clean the nozzle out ) use a pointing trowel mix the morter quite stiff ( try to match the shade of your existing mortar or its
going to look patchey ) usual mix is aprox 6 _ 1 cement any mess can be cleaned with brick acid laborious tast but has to be done to keep the weather out might be worthwile using a grinder to clear joint out as any loose mortar left in the joints will mean youl be doing it again in a year or so buy a
jointer to smooth the joints off once the mortar is setting ( drag it along The joints )
Im a bricklayer and i wont tutch this kind of job its a pain in the arse

Ho ho! Good one! Have you ever SEEN the mess an amateur wil make with mortar, trying to point? Yes, of course you have.

I'd STILL far rather mix up small quantities of mortar and use a gun. Keep the quantities small, less chance of lumps to clog it. And yes, sorry, I forgot to say rake out the old stuff first.

I'm a great believer in "any idiot can LAY bricks, it takes an expert to make them look owt worthwhile, or stay up when laid";)

BTW: I'm NOT a bricky, but did build my own conservatory dwarf wall, and have been told it's excellent, by several brickies.
It took me two weeks:D

Alcazar

Interesting comments and I am certainly the amateur!!

The patio area in question was an enlargement of the old patio area and I reckon the frost caught the mortar and it never went off properly. In fact a jet cleaner will take out the old mortar so that is not a problem. I have filled some joints and if I do it slowly it doesn't look too bad but I can't match the "beak" finish on the original slab joints. Still in two minds about the gun. I might try again with my small trowel and try and be patient. BTW I phoned Wickes and they stopped selling the guns six months ago so may be they weren't popular? Happy mixing........... dl

Screwfix still have them David.

A friend in France has an air driven one, for pointing huge areas of stone wall.

Alcazar

Yep - thanks - I had a look at the link above. I expect I'll try without one and then sod it and go and order one. Trying to save £25 quid which I need at the moment :) david

Im afraid im going to have to agree with red deedee on the mortar gun idea. I got one of those Durgen jobs thinking I could point up my house, could'nt have used it for more than a minute before I got the trowel back out.