GB2299124A

GB2299124A - Pointing brickwork

Info

Publication number: GB2299124A
Application number: GB9505814A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terence Gordon Blackburn
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-03-22
Filing date: 1995-03-22
Publication date: 1996-09-25
Also published as: GB9505814D0

Abstract

A mortar carrier (10) for use in pointing brickwork is shaped to retain a load of mortar and has a pointing edge (12) so that it can be aligned with a brick joint (26) to be pointed and a pointing tool (23) is used to slide a measure of mortar (30) from the carrier directly into the joint. The mortar carrier has a first surface (11) with the pointing edge and a second surface (16) generally perpendicular to the first surface so that, in use, a load of mortar can be retained between the two surfaces. The carrier can be used to guide mortar into vertical gaps, Figure 4.

Description

POINTING This invention relates to pointing brickwork and it particularly, but not exclusively, relates to an accessory for and a method of pointing brickwork for the amateur.

Brickwork is usually pointed by loading a hawk with mixed mortar, collecting a line of mortar from the hawk onto the back of a regular triangular trowel, forcing the mortar into the joint between bricks and then trimming off surplus mortar. Keeping mortar from spreading onto the brickwork, leaving a good clean edge to the pointing, getting a consistent bond and fill of mortar into the joint all take a high level of skill. For the amateur or " do-it-yourself " enthusiast this can be a time consuming exercise with indifferent results. The Reader's Digest Repair Manual, published October 1976, describes pointing or repointing for the amateur at pages 18, 19, 25 and 93; especially the use of a straight edge for trimming surplus mortar from the joint.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of and an accessory for pointing brickwork that overcomes the above-stated difficulties.

According to the present invention, a method of pointing brickwork comprises the steps -f:- i) loading a mortar carrier with a pug of mortar, the carrier being shaped to retain a load of mortar and having at least one pointing edge; ii) aligning the pointing edge of the carrier with a brick joint to be pointed; and, iii) using a hand tool to slide a measure of mortar from the carrier directly into the joint.

Advantageously, the hand tool can be a pointing tool so that the type of pointing required, eg flush, weathered or keyed, can be obtained as the direct result of the above method.

In a further method step in accordance with the present invention, the pointing tool may be used to trim any surplus mortar from the pointed joint back onto the carrier before the carrier is removed from the joint.

Also according to the present invention, a hand-held pointing accessory comprises a mortar carrier having a first surface with a first pointing edge and a second surface generally perpendicular to the first surface and having a second pointing edge; whereby in use, a load of mortar can be retained between the two surfaces, the first pointing edge can be aligned with a horizontal brick joint to be pointed, for mortar to be slid by a pointing tool from the first surface to the horizontal joint and the second pointing edge can be aligned with a vertical brick joint to be pointed for mortar to be slid by the pointing tool from the second surface to the vertical joint.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the mortar carrier has a generally planar base, one edge of which forms the first pointing edge and at least one sidewall upstanding from the planar base, with a free end of the or each sidewall forming the or a second pointing edge.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the mortar carrier has a pair of sidewalls arranged so that a free end of one sidewall is proximate to and defines a gap with a free end of the other sidewall; the gap being generally perpendicular to the first pointing edge. Preferably the base is triangular with the first pointing edge formed by the base of the triangle and the two sidewalls defining the gap at the apex of the triangle.

The above and other features of the present invention are illustrated, by way of example in the Drawings, wherein: Fig.l is a perspective view of a mortar carrier in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective of a pointing tool for use with the mortar carrier of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating pointing a horizontal joint, using the mortar carrier of Fig. 1 and the pointing tool of Fig. 2; and, Fig.4 is a similar perspective view illustrating pointing a vertical joint, using the mortar carrier of Fig. 1 and the pointing tool of Fig. 2.

As shown by Fig. 1, a mortar carrier 10 is in the form of a generally triangular tray having a flat bottom 11 with a bevelled, straight first pointing edge 12 at the base of the triangle. The two triangular side edges 13 and 14 of the tray bottom each have an upstanding wall 15, 16 that terminates short of the apex 17 of the tray bottom to leave a vertical gap 18 there between. The first pointing edge 12 is approximately the length of a standard brick and the two side walls 15, 16 are approximately the height of a standard brick above the tray bottom 11. The terminating side wall ends 19, 20 are both straight, might be bevelled and each forms a second pointing edge. The width of the vertical gap is approximately the thickness of a brickwork join.

The side walls 15, 16 preferably extend below the tray bottom 11; to provide finger grips 21, 22.

The mortar carrier 10 may be made out of any suitable material, such as by joining together three pieces of plywood; forming the bottom and side walls. Alternatively, the carrier could be a plastics moulding or fabricated out of galvanised steel or aluminium.

Fig. 2 shows a suitable pointing tool 23 to comprise a handle 24 and a straight-sided, relatively narrow blade 25; approximately the thickness of a brickwork joint. Clearly, other types of pointing tool can be used; depending on the type of pointing required, eg flush, weathered, keyed.

In use and to point the horizontal joint 26 between two courses of bricks 27 and 28 (see Fig. 3); the mortar carrier 10 is loaded with a pug of mortar 30, the first pointing edge 12 of the carrier is aligned with and held firmly against the top of one course 27 of bricks, a measure of mortar is separated from the pug using the pointing tool 23 and slide using the blade 25 across the tray bottom 11 towards the joint 26. The back of the blade pushes the mortar firmly into the joint as the blade is pivoted about the free end 31 of side wall 16; any excess mortar can simply be returned to the carrier by trimming the pointed joint with the edge of the tool and collecting the excess mortar with the pointing edge of the carrier. The tool can then be slide sideways to finish the pointed joint.

By careful alignment of the first pointing edge with the joint, there should be little or no wastage of mortar or spillage from the joint onto the surrounding brickwork.

The above operation is repeated until the whole joint has been pointed or the pug of mortar exhausted. The overall triangular shape of the carrier enables a reasonably sized pug of mortar to be carried at any one time; the sidewalls preventing spillage and little or no mortar would flow through the gap 18, given its thick consistency.

In use and to point the vertical joint 32 between a pair of bricks 33, 34 (see Fig. 4), the mortar carrier 10 is reversed so that the gap 18 is aligned with the gap and the carrier is firmly pushed against the surrounding brickwork with the side wall ends 19, 20 contacting bricks 33 and 34 respectively. The pointing tool 23 is held vertically and a measure of mortar 30 is slid along one or the other of the side walls towards the gap 18. The mortar can then be forced by the back of the tool into the joint 32 and the tool then slid upwards to finish pointing the vertical joint.

Again, by careful alignment of one of the second, vertical pointing edges with the joint, there should be little or no wastage of mortar or spillage onto the surrounding brickwork.

Claims

Claims:

1. A method of pointing brickwork comprises the steps of: i) loading a mortar carrier with a pug of mortar, the carrier being shaped to retain a load of mortar and having at least one pointing edge; ii) aligning the pointing edge of the carrier with a brick joint to be pointed; and, iii) using a hand tool to slide a measure of mortar from the carrier directly into the joint.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pointing tool is used to trim any surplus mortar from the pointed joint back onto the carrier before the carrier is removed from the joint.

3. A hand-held pointing accessory comprising a mortar carrier having a first surface with a first pointing edge and a second surface generally perpendicular to the first surface and having a second pointing edge; whereby in use, a load of mortar can be retained between the two surfaces, the first pointing edge can be aligned with a horizontal brick joint to be pointed, for mortar to be slid by a pointing tool from the first surface to the horizontal joint and the second pointing edge can be aligned with a vertical brick joint to be pointed for mortar to be slid by the pointing tool from the second surface to the vertical joint.

4. A pointing accessory as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mortar carrier has a generally planar base, one edge of which forms the first pointing edge and at least one sidewall upstanding from the planar base, with a free end of the or each sidewall forming the or a second pointing edge.

5. A pointing accessory as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mortar carrier has a pair of sidewalls arranged so that a free end of one sidewall is proximate to and defines a gap with a free end of the other sidewall; the gap being generally perpendicular to the first pointing edge.

6. A pointing accessory as claimed in claim 5, wherein the base is triangular with the first pointing edge formed by the base of the triangle and the two sidewalls defining the gap at the apex of the triangle.

7. A method of pointing brickwork substantially as described with reference to the drawings.

8. A hand-held pointing accessory substantially as described with reference to or as shown by the drawings.