‘Pointing’ (the cement between bricks on a wall) needs to be removed when it becomes loose and begins to fall out. If left for a long time it can cause the wall to become unstable.
Before you begin
You will need:
Scutch chisel
Plugging chisel
Club hammer or mallet
Using the scutch chisel
Step 1 – Use scutch chisel to weaken mortar line
Use the scutch chisel to weaken the mortar in the wall by creating a line down the centre of the mortar. This is done by hitting the chisel sharply with a hammer along the centre line of the cement joint.
Step 2 – Cut remaining mortar with plugging chisel
Finish the removal of the pointing by cutting the remaining mortar out with a plugging chisel.
When this is done, your wall should resemble the image opposite.
Next, you will need to repoint your wall with new mortar.