Lime re-pointing - anyone done it DIY?

[Sunnyday89]

Have joined the old house uk Facebook group - very informative, and everyone lime repointing is mentioned, someone advises doing it DIY, as it’s not technically difficult just takes a lot of time. Quotes for a professional seem to come in at thousands!

has anyone done it themselves? How difficult was it? Did it involve buying lots of tools?

you need the means of mixing the pointing mixture, and a pointing tool and a pointing trowel. If you’re going to knock up by hand then you don’t have to buy a mixer, but if you’re going to mix with lime you have to be really careful. It’s terribly bad for your lungs. Pointing is not hard work, and the beauty of lime mortar is it takes a LONG time to dry. So if you go back the next day and aren’t happy you can simply knock it out and try again.

as you’ve indicated it’s just time consuming. Watch videos to show you the correct technique for pointing, it’s not hard but takes a little practice to not leave gouges. When you knock up the mortar, make it a bit dryer than normal because you don’t want it to be as runny or it won’t hold the shape you want.

Sorry forgot to say, pointing tool and trowel will cost around £20 from screwfix.

Thanks @Hiddenmnetter , that’s really helpful!! It’s only the front wall we’d need to do and being a cottage isn’t too high, I’ve watched a few vids and ordered a book on Lime and it definitely seems do-able. I didn’t know about lime being bad for you though, decent face mask needed I’m guessing?

We didn't DiY ours because we had run out of enthusiasm after doing a lot on the test of the house, but if you are doing yours also be aware that the mix makes a difference to the ultimate colour of the pointing. I would try those out much like you would a paint colour before you start.

This may be completely obvious to you but it hadn't been to me.

one of those masks you used in Covid is more than sufficient. It’s more about getting it on your skin. Lime is what they pour in mass graves to dissolve bodies 😳.

just be careful especially when adding the dry lime to your mix and wash thoroughly afterwards. I’ve used it a few times and did it with a mixer and was fine, but I used a long handled shovel and stood well back.

It’s not toxic so much as corrosive.

Oh wow! Ok that makes sense and thank you

Good point and no wouldn’t have thought of that! What I’ve read is if some of the old mortar (cement?) doesn’t easily come out then to leave it and go around it. So colour matching with what’s already there does seem important, and to look right with the stone.
Did it cost a fortune to have done? I’m toying with the idea of getting some professional quotes too

For a professional brick layer, you should expect around £200/day. Materials should be around £100. Depending on whether or not they need to knock out the old pointing first, it should only take a few days. If they need to remove old pointing first it’ll take longer, and expect the job to be commensurately more expensive.

It is totally possible to DIY.

As above, try various mixes to colour match to any lime mortar that's already there and staying. Let it dry thoroughly before assessing the colour.

Wear long sleeves and trousers and a mask when mixing, but don't need the mask once it is mixed.

Use a pot to measure your mix. We use a supermarket soup pot! Same principle as measuring cups - easy to get the same mix each time then.

You can make up quite a bit as it doesn't set quickly like cement.

The tools are cheap, and the materials will be used whether you do it or you get a contractor in, so there's nothing to lose by having a go. Unlike most DIY you won't put up the price of the contractor if you give it a go and it goes wrong!

Also, wear goggles. Our neighbour nearly perminantly damaged her eyes from lime mortar splashes.

You can buy the mortar ready mixed, just add water, or even in tubs water already added.
Try a 2” bolster on a few bits of the existing pointing to see how easy the old stuff comes out or chips/flakes the stone.
You can also buy a narrow chasing chisel and try that. Always buy ones with hand guards.
If you DIY and buy a tower, you can sell it again at the end of the project.

I can't remember exactly as it was about 5 years ago but think it was either £3.5k or £4.5k. It was probably about 4 to 6 weeks work. That was for three sides of a detached three bed, ground floor only (as top is pebbledashed). Two of the three sides were long and one short as it is a narrow but deep house. He did a really good job on it.

I just didn't want to spend that long digging out mortar and adding it back in around full time jobs, so I would recommend getting some quotes.

We had ours done professionally. I diy a lot of things (including lime plastering inside the house, and have done outbuilding repointing before too) but this is an easy thing to really mess up that is a very visual part of your home. We sacked the first builders who tried, as they did not seem to understand that lime mortar can stain absorbent bricks and the whole chimney stack was turned chalky looking. You cannot just put too much on and brush it off like you can with cement mortar. Fortunately they started high up and we spotted it before they could ruin the front of the house too. 17 years later, the chimney stack is still stained. The next builders work was a thing of beauty - they did a weatherstruck profile to the pointing, which looks smart and is practical for an old building. It took them weeks to do the front wall only. We are having interior work done atm and the builders have commented on how nice and good a job it is. Good pointing will prolong the life of your house and the pointing. Bad pointing will look terrible.

If you're going to DIY it make sure it's done in the warmer weather. The lime mortar won't go off in colder weather.

If you're going to get a trade in their rate will depend on where you're located.

Cambridge brickies are charging £400 day rate. In Norfolk it's about £280.