DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi Guys

My gable end bricks are lacking mortar in some areas, I think due to prevailing winds, and living 1/2 mile from the sea.

Being 72 but reasonably fit, I try to do what I can to save money, so decided to re-point to do so.

Trouble I am having, is matching up the mortar colour, I start using 3 in 1 using red building sand, but some has dried VERY grey, so now I have gone to 4 in 1 which is better.

Are their any guide lines or has one got to use his eyes simply, our present mortar seems to have a slightly pink colour or maybe beige.

The bricks re unlike common, they have fancy squiggly lines, so I find it hard to wife off mortar if it goes on them, so they dry horrible, especially if its grey.

try lime in the mix cement lime sand 1.1.4. to clean mortar off the bricks use brick acid

Welsh brickie

So does the lime sort of take over what the 3in 1 or 4 in 1 colour would be ?

I certainly will buy some, also brick acid as I have heard both mentioned a lot on forum.

Normal safety precautions I assume with the brick acid?

lime alters the color and acid breaks down the cement when its set

The lime certainly altered the colour, it came out almost white, yet I did a 1x1x4.

And the brick acid was a disappointment, and I think the reason was, instead of any mortar left on bricks being easy to wipe off like on common, my bricks have a serrated grooving pattern, so it was hard, and I tried various small brushes to help.