Repointing Woodstock Oxfordshire (OX20): All homes and buildings in Woodstock require a little maintenance every now and then. Houses in Woodstock are hit by all sorts of weather, pollution and other adverse issues that can affect the condition of the mortar between the bricks, and should you discover indications of this you may need to call someone. You will find that a competent brick repointing company in Woodstock can provide a suitable and cost-effective solution, if repairs need to be done to revitalise your damaged brickwork.
You must remember that any structure is only as strong as the mortar and bricks that hold it together. To keep a building dry and warm the mortar has to be in sufficiently good condition to prevent any draughts and water from forcing its way in through holes or gaps. But exactly how can you tell whether your brickwork needs repointing or not?
In essence, you must examine your outside walls and look for any damage. If you can spot problems then you've got a problem. It might be necessary to bring in an expert to examine hard to reach and remote sections like under eaves or on chimney stacks, however in most homes you should be able to see any signs of degradation fairly easily.
You've also got to consider the safety issues that cracked or crumbling mortar joints can cause. The mortar is the basis of strength for your Woodstock home and is the "glue" that binds the shape and structure together. In higher structures and houses with chimney stacks, any weakness in the framework of the building can have major consequences with regards to property damages and risk of harm.
It could be that crumbling or missing mortar has been caused by damaged bricks. Any damaged brickwork discovered during the inspection by the specialist will be repaired or replaced before any repointing takes place.
The outside walls of a lot of Woodstock homes will have been rendered with plaster or painted over in past days. Deterioration in either mortar or bricks under the surface could be implied by bubbling, cracks or flaking of the paint or plaster. It's best to seek the advice of a certified repointing contractor who can investigate the main cause of the problem, and prevent the damage from spreading and causing more serious problems in the future. By employing a reputable and qualified repointing contractor you will keep your exterior walls in the best possible condition.
WHAT STEPS ARE REQUIRED IN REPOINTING BRICKWORK IN WOODSTOCK?
Repointing can be a lengthy process and may involve working at considerable height, subject to the design of your property. Step one for a repointing business will be to complete a visual survey of the structure and the work that's required. A thorough inspection is the only way in which a repointing company can offer you a price quote for the amount of work that is needed on your damaged brickwork. It is invariably better to get quotes from different repointing companies in Woodstock and examine the standard of service that each of them offers.
If the surveyor who carried out the first site survey was unable to inspect some of the more hard to reach parts of your building, ladders or even scaffolding might be necessary to do a more thorough survey. If further issues are revealed by this 2nd more meticulous survey, a revised (higher) quote might result. The older the building is, the more chance that it's going to need to be repointed, and this is particularly true for those properties in Woodstock that are over 60 years old.
Work can commence once the trouble spots have been detected and agreed with the owner of the property. It's likely your repointing contractor will need to put up a scaffold so as to have a sturdy working platform while doing the work on your property. Some protective shielding can be secured to the exterior of the scaffolding, after it has been erected. This protective sheeting will stop any mortar dust or other debris from causing damage to your property, or nearby properties, and also adds a layer of safety to prevent injuries to anyone passing by.
To allow access to all the wall surfaces, any pipework, conduits and cabling that are attached to the wall may need to be adjusted or removed. When the project has been completed and all remedial action undertaken these pipes and cables will be put back in position.
So that your repointing specialists can get to the brick surfaces of your house in Woodstock, any paint, pebble-dash, rendering must be stripped away from the walls before any work can start. To ensure a uniform finish for your external walls, the brickwork surfaces behind these coverings will have to be sanded and cleaned.
A reliable Woodstock repointing specialist will be able to prepare a test panel on your brickwork in order to help you choose the various different mortar styles that are available, (Recessed, Weather Struck, Flush or Tuck pointing). This enables you to see how each design would look on your house and showcase the different styles and colours available.
The next step is to remove the old, crumbling mortar by raking and scraping out the joints. This can be quite a laborious process where any debris, dust and old mortar must be painstakingly cleaned away to provide a good binding surface for the new mortar. The repointers will be especially cautious around doors, windows and other openings where movement in the brickwork or an excess of mortar can cause difficulties in closing and opening them.
One thing that must be avoided is the new mortar drying out too rapidly, and this can be prevented by dampening down the brickwork. This helps establish a strong joint by keeping the mortar flexible and avoiding cracks. During the mortar application there will be smears and some excess mortar on the adjacent brickwork which looks sloppy, but this can be removed once it's properly dried. The walls will usually be split into areas, and each one in turn will be pointed, allowed to dry, and then cleaned before the repointers move along to a new section.
If any brick replacement, lead flashing work or chimney repairs needs to be done by the repointing company during the work, now is the time when these repairs will be undertaken.
As soon as the whole of the building is repointed and cleaned, and if you would like to repaint the bricks or re-apply the rendering, then that will now be completed. The final stage of the repointing project will see all pipes, cables and other fixtures put back into their rightful locations, scaffolding and work platforms dismantled and all waste removed and disposed of.
Your brickwork repointing can last between 50 to 60 years provided that it is accomplished by a qualified and experienced repointing specialist in Woodstock. Guarantees should be forthcoming for the restoration work and they should be affiliated with with providers and manufacturers from the building industry covering substandard materials.
Such accreditations might include the likes of: the National Federation of Building Contractors (NFBC), the National House Building Council (NHBC) and the Federation of Master Builders (FMB), whilst qualifications might range between City & Guilds, NVQ's and Diplomas from industry specialists such as the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). Moreover, every worker on the repointing team who does work on your house should hold a Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card to confirm that they have the appropriate skills and training for their respective role in the project.
Chimney Repointing
A chimney is often overlooked in relation to property maintenance, however a chimney which is showing signs of decay can be a costly issue. During an initial examination of your chimney in Woodstock, an expert might recommend repointing or perhaps a complete rebuild of your chimney, according to the size of the affected and damaged area. Professional chimney repointing will re-establish the integrity of your chimney by replacing the old mortar with new material. This should forestall the need for a full chimney rebuild and give you peace of mind for many more years to come. Having your chimney in Woodstock repointed also helps in preventing damage to the inside of your chimney stack, by preventing moisture from seeping through the cracks and holes in old mortar. Most modern chimneys will be lined with steel and if moisture comes into contact with this liner, it can severely reduce its lifespan. After repointing has been finished, an exterior sealant is applied which repels water and allows the release of any internal moisture.
Brick Crack Stitching Woodstock
When there are significant cracks in brickwork structures, they can sometimes be repaired using a technique called brick crack stitching. It involves the insertion of stainless steel rods into the mortar bed of the affected brickwork, which are then held in place using a specialized grout. The intention behind this procedure is to reinforce the mortar bed, provide additional support to the damaged brickwork, and stop further cracks from appearing. This procedure utilizes flexible stainless steel rods that can move with the structure and absorb any additional stress, providing reinforcement and stability to the damaged brickwork. The process of crack stitching can be used in a variety of situations, including for repairing cracks in walls, chimneys, bridges and tunnels in Woodstock. It is a relatively simple and effective solution to a commonplace problem in brick-built structures and can extend the life of the structure for many years. It is important to note, however, that crack stitching should only be performed by a professional with practical experience in this technique, given that incorrect installation can cause additional damage to the structure. Brickwork crack stitching has become a favoured option among householders and builders due to its practicality and dependability when it comes to fixing cracks in brick structures and buildings.
Tuck Pointing Woodstock
Tuckpointing is a method of repointing old and weathered brickwork where the mortar joints are unstable and crumbling. To give the impression that they are in perfect condition, it is a technique which is employed to cosmetically improve the appearance of walls.
Firstly, the old, crumbling mortar is raked out and removed, and this is then replaced with a new colour-matched mortar mixture which replicates the colour of the wall. Then to make it appear like the joints are neat and even, where in fact the joints are actually wide and irregular in width, a thin contrasting line of (usually lighter) mortar is applied.
Without the requirement for any disruptive refurbishments, the effect of tuck-pointing can be quite eye-catching, particularly when viewed from a distance, and can vastly enhance the overall look of a wall.
Repointing Specialists Near Woodstock
Also find: Glympton repointing, New Yatt repointing, Stonesfield repointing, Ditchley repointing, Combe repointing, Enstow repointing, Begbroke repointing, Wilcote repointing, Woodleys repointing, Shipton-on-Cherwell repointing, North Leigh repointing, Tackley repointing, Wootton repointing, Fawler repointing, Freeland repointing, Church Hanborough repointing, Long Hanborough repointing, Bladon repointing, Thrupp repointing and more.
Woodstock Repointing Tasks
Just Some of the Work That a Repointing Specialist Can Do
There are a number of different tasks that can be accomplished by your local Woodstock repointing specialist including pebble-dash removal Woodstock, mortar raking, repointing mortar joints, commercial repointing, brickwork repointing Woodstock, the re-pointing of brick joints Woodstock, brick joint repairs, brick inspection, mortar joint repointing, pointing paving, repointing price quotes, facade restoration, lead valleys renewed or repaired in Woodstock, bucket handle pointing and re-pointing, chimney stack repointing Woodstock, ridges rebedded or repointed, roof repointing Woodstock, tile repointing in Woodstock, masonry restoration, the repointing of stone walls Woodstock, brick sealing, dry verge installation Woodstock, ribbon re-pointing, patio repointing Woodstock, brickwork joint raking, damaged brickwork repairs, gable end repointing Woodstock, repointing of brickwork in Woodstock, stone pointing and re-pointing Woodstock, lime mortar repointing Woodstock, the repair and repointing of stone walls in Woodstock, crack injection in Woodstock, patch repointing Woodstock, domestic repointing in Woodstock, brickwork crack stitching, and repointing scaffolds. These are just an example of the activities that are accomplished by experts in repointing. Woodstock companies will let you know their whole range of services.
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