What Are The Advantages Of Lime Pointing And Why Is It The Best Option?

Stone structures, chimneys, and walls all need to be maintained in order to survive as long as feasible. In most cases, maintenance is performed on the masonry joints, which can become worn and degraded over time. This not only makes your stone structures seem bad, but it may also make them less waterproof than they were before.

The easiest approach to deal with this is to do a repair/maintenance job called as pointing. Cement mortars were traditionally used by builders and masons to fill any gaps between the bricks and maintain the structural integrity of a stone structure. However, we like lime pointing because it is a lot superior alternative in our opinion.

How Does Lime Pointing Work?

The difference between lime pointing and traditional pointing is that lime mortar is used instead of cement. The process of pointing remains the same. Filling any gaps between stones on a home, chimney, or exterior walls is done by mixing lime putty-based mortar together. Repointing can be done during the construction of these structures for you, or as a maintenance/repair task. As the lime mortar sets, gaps are sealed and the cavities are filled.

How Does Lime Pointing Differ From Other Options?

Any job involving pointing is always carried out with lime mortar. The reason for this is that it is simply the best option available, and is far more advantageous than traditional cement pointing.

Lime mortar tends to be much softer than cement, which is one of the reasons why we believe it is our only option. As a result, it makes work easier, as the mortar moulds itself into every cavity with little effort. Lime mortar, however, is also more porous than cement because of its softness. Therefore, it has many tiny holes throughout. How is this a good thing? It helps keep stone structures dry. The holes allow any moisture to easily evaporate, so no moisture will be left behind and cause damp problems in the future.

Besides being far healthier for your stone structures, lime pointing has many other benefits. With cement pointing, you’re filling the gaps in the stones with a material that’s just as hard as the surrounding stones. Over time, masonry tends to shift around and move slightly.

Due to the hardness of cement, it makes it harder for cracks to appear between the joints without cement being present. Lime pointing offers this much softer material that doesn’t crack or corrode and allows your home to move freely.

Lime pointing is the best idea if you need pointing work done or repointing work done. You should seek out the help of a professional stonemasons for this job. The typical builder or handyman does not have the skills or knowledge to mix lime mortar correctly and apply it properly. Give us a call if you are looking for stonemasons and stone repairs, and we will be happy to assist you with the needs.