Effective Tips On How To Repoint Your Brick Steps

Repairing brick steps Summit is not difficult. When you have a good bit of cracked or missing mortar between the bricks on your steps, you should make arrangements to fix your steps. You should repair your steps before water starts causing more damage. This problem happens with mortars that are too stiff to a point that they cannot accommodate the expansion and contraction of the bricks due to changes in temperature. You can fix your brick steps by cutting out the old joints and refilling them with new mortar. Consider type N mortar because it is hard and inflexible.

Cut out the joints with a grinder

You should remove the depth of about three-quarter inches. It can be very dusty when doing the job so use a masonry grinder together with a vacuum cleaner that connects to the HEPA vac. It is also possible to use a vacuum and angle grinder as you go.

Start with the horizontal lines

Doing the vertical ones after will create a pocket and feel your blade stop cutting before hitting the brick.

Mix the mortar

The mortar that was used previously was harder and more structural than what your bricks needed. It is the main reason why the cracks formed in the first place. Type N mortar should have been used. It is strong and flexible enough to allow your bricks to expand and contract. You will also want the mortar to be wetter than normal if you are using the grout bag technique so that it comes out easily. You should still mix small amounts of water at a time when fixing your steps or doing fireplace maintenance.

Put the mixed mortar in your grout bag

You should get your grout bag and load the bag about halfway and then twist its open end closed.

Squeeze mortar into the joint

Doing this is very easy because it should be similar to icing a cake using a piping bag. The narrow blade of a pointing trowel fits between the courses of the brick to press fresh mortar into your joints. Masons grind down the edge of the blade to customize the width.

You should then follow with a flat jointer and press the mortar into the joints. Now lightly brush off the excess mortar from the brick.

Run the jointer over the mortar

This will ensure that it is properly sealed and weatherproof. When you do this, you don’t have to water seal your stairs. When horizontal surfaces are sealed, water stays on the surface. This can be very dangerous and can cause someone to slip, especially in winter.

Repairing brick steps Summit can be a one-man job since it is very easy. You just need to use the right tools to do the job. However, you might need a hand if you have a big project. Always use the right tools. Make sure you mix your mortar at the recommended ratio. Read on the cement bag to know the recommended ratio by the manufacturer.