How To Reroute Brick On The Outside?

DIY expert Craig Phillips demonstrates how to repoint old brickwork using a hand-held mortar rake, cold chisel, or angle grinder. Repointing old brick joints is often left to professionals, but with the right tools, supplies, and basic techniques, it can be done by homeowners. The process involves removing the mortar joints, determining the mortar depth, adjusting the raking tool, raking the vertical and horizontal joints, and removing excess dust.

Repointing brick should be done when you see any of these conditions with your exterior brick’s mortar: cracking, holes, cracks, erosion exceeding 1/4-inch, separation from bricks, and safety concerns. Step-by-step instructions on how to repoint brick are provided along with a list of necessary supplies.

To begin, clean the grout thoroughly, choose a suitable exterior paint for outdoor use, protect the brick surfaces with painter’s tape, and apply the mortar mix. Then, choose your point and begin repointing.

To ensure proper repointing, clear the wall area that needs repointing, remove any old mortar, focus on doorways, expose the brick edges, and remove excess dust. If the pointing is failing and bricks are wet and spalling, it must be raked out and the brickwork repointed.