What are brick jointers used for?

28th February 2020


What are brick jointers used for?


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			Jointing or striking at an initial stage
			If a wall is being laid (and the mortar passes a thumbprint test) then tooling at this initial stage can be referred to as jointing or striking.

			Jointing brickwork in sections
			A brick jointer can be used a short time after a section of wall is built to a uniform height. By tooling joints to the same height you ensure the regularity of the joints in that section. If you choose to extend the construction, fresh mortar may differ slightly in colour and new joints may look slightly mismatched. It is better to be able to start and finish brickwork sectionally.

			Creating mortar mixes Creating separate mortar mixes for small sections of wall may leave you with noticeable differences. The colour of mortar is sensitive to change. Mortar’s composition means the colouring is affected by how quickly the mortar is able to set. Therefore, it is best to carry out large areas of jointing where possible, for consistent-looking joints.

			Pointing
			If you wait until after the wall is built, leaving joints recessed and ready for the later addition of mortar, then this process is called ‘pointing’. Joint profiles are then formed in the fresh mortar.

			Repointing
			A brick jointer can also be used at the end of the repointing process and the method is almost the same as you would use for regular pointing. The only difference is that the joint requires preparation. Remove old mortar (using a hammer and chisel or a brick rake) and then add a quick spray of water over the area, before fresh mortar is applied.

			This prevents bricks from absorbing moisture from the new mortar and the wetting of joints ensures the fresh mortar will stick properly.

			Once old mortar or damaged brickwork is removed, new mortar is filled into joints and a brick jointer can be used to imprint the new mortar joints.