Brick and wall repointing in Sittingbourne to stop damp and protect your brickwork
Perished mortar joints allow driving rain straight into your masonry, causing blown brick faces and water ingress. Working across Sittingbourne and Swale, I rake out failed joints cleanly and repoint chimney stacks, parapets, and exterior walls using the correct mortar mix for your property. Call 01795 904566 to arrange a site visit and a clear quote.
Brickwork Repointing and Mortar Repairs in Sittingbourne
Failing mortar joints on external brickwork do more than make a property look neglected. Over years of exposure to driving rain and winter frosts across Swale, exposed sand and lime joints gradually hollow out, allowing water to sit on brick arrises and track straight into the inner cavity or solid brickwork. If you have noticed sandy grit gathering at the base of your walls, dark damp patches appearing on internal plaster, or crumbling joints on an exposed gable end or boundary wall, I provide direct, practical repointing across Sittingbourne to halt moisture ingress before it causes structural masonry decay.
When I survey brickwork, I test the hardness and condition of the existing bedding across multiple elevations. A common failure occurs where past repairs were slapped over hollow voids using a hard, dense sand-and-cement mix that prevents the wall from breathing. This forces trapped ground moisture and rainwater through the faces of the softer bricks, leading to spalling, cracking, and blown brick surfaces. I identify exactly where the bed and perp joints have eroded past their functional depth and assess whether individual damaged bricks need replacing before any fresh mortar is struck.
Every repointing job is handled directly by me without third-party subcontractors or agency labour. Old, decayed mortar is raked out systematically to a uniform depth of roughly 15mm to 20mm, providing a sound, square mechanical key rather than a shallow, feathered smear that flakes away after a single winter. Dust and debris are thoroughly washed and brushed from the joints, and the masonry is appropriately dampened down so the fresh mortar cures properly without drying out prematurely.
From perimeter garden walls to high-level gable ends and external chimney stacks, I match the aggregate colour, texture, and mortar composition to suit the age and fabric of your property. The new mortar is pressed firmly to the back of the joint with jointing irons to eliminate concealed air pockets, leaving your brickwork completely weathertight, structurally sound, and clean.
Deal directly with your roofer from survey to sign-off
With over thirty years of trade experience across Sittingbourne, Chris Baker personally inspects your property, quotes the job, and completes the work with no salesmen or subcontractors.
What is included
Old, failing mortar raked out cleanly to a sound depth
Joints cleared of dust and washed down for a solid bond
Mortar mix matched to your existing brickwork and aggregate
Traditional lime mortar mixes used on older solid-wall properties
Spalled, frost-damaged, and cracked bricks cut out and replaced
Chimney stacks, parapets, and garden boundary walls repointed
Joints struck with a weather profile to keep driving rain out
Brick faces brushed down and old mortar rubble cleared from site
Signs your brickwork needs repointing
Crumbling, powdery mortar falling out of joints onto paths, patios, or gullies
Damp patches spreading across internal plasterwork or chimney breasts after driving rain
Spalled brickwork, where brick faces have cracked and blown off from trapped winter frost
Open gaps and hollow voids between courses allowing water ingress into the wall
Moss, lichen, or small weeds rooting directly into decayed and washed-out mortar lines
Brick And Wall Repointing in Sittingbourne: our recent work
Every photo is one of our own jobs.
How it works
01
On-site inspection
I examine your brickwork or chimney stack in person to identify failing mortar joints and points of water ingress.
02
Raking out old mortar
We carefully rake out perished mortar to a consistent depth without damaging or spalling your existing bricks.
03
Mortar matching and pointing
We blend the correct mortar mix to suit your building and press it deep into the beds for a lasting seal.
04
Tooling and site clear-up
The new joints are struck cleanly, the brickwork is brushed down, and every bit of waste is cleared away.
With over thirty years working on Kent properties, I rake out perished mortar properly and repoint to keep your walls watertight, rather than just skimming over the surface.
Brick And Wall Repointing in Sittingbourne: your questions answered
How do I know if my brickwork needs repointing or just a surface patch?
If the mortar turns to soft sand when you scrape it with a key or you can see open gaps between the courses, water will sit in those voids and soak straight into your wall. Patching over crumbly mortar with a thin smear of cement never lasts because the original joint has to be raked out properly so the new mix can bond securely. If the brick faces are starting to crack or flake away from winter frosts, it means damp is trapped behind deteriorating joints and needs clearing out.
How do you clear out the failing mortar without damaging the brick edges?
I rake out the old joints to a uniform depth of 15mm to 20mm, or roughly twice the height of the joint, using dedicated mechanical raking tools and hand chisels rather than standard angle-grinder discs. Grinder blades easily slip and slice deep gouges into soft Kent red bricks or Victorian stock, leaving permanent damage along the arrises. Clearing the joints out squarely by hand and low-vibration rakers gives the new mortar a solid bed to grip without scarring your brickwork.
Do you use traditional lime mortar or standard sand and cement on older Sittingbourne houses?
It depends entirely on the age and construction of your property. For Victorian solid walls and older cottages around Sittingbourne and Faversham, I use a breathable natural hydraulic lime mortar because hard modern cement traps moisture inside the wall and causes the brick faces to blow during winter freezes. Modern cavity-wall builds can take a gauged sand-and-cement mix, but on older masonry, the mortar must always be softer and more permeable than the surrounding brick.
Can you replace individual bricks that have cracked or blown before repointing starts?
Yes, any spalled or frost-shattered bricks should be cut out and replaced before fresh mortar goes into the wall. I carefully chop out the damaged units without disturbing the surrounding courses, then bed in matching reclaimed imperial stocks or suitable modern bricks to blend in with your existing masonry. Leaving blown bricks in place creates an immediate weak spot where driving rain can bypass the fresh pointing and soak the wall.
Which pointing profile is best for my external walls: weatherstruck or bucket-handle?
For walls taking the brunt of driving rain and estuary winds across Swale, a neat weatherstruck joint sheds water downward and outward off the face of each brick very effectively. A classic bucket-handle or lightly brushed flush joint works well on standard elevations and period properties, provided the mortar is packed tightly back into the joint with a finger trowel to eliminate hidden air pockets. When I inspect your wall, I will tell you which profile suits your brick type and exposure level.
What steps do you take to stop the new pointing from drying out too fast or freezing?
Before applying the mortar, I dampen the brickwork down so the dry brick does not suck the water straight out of the fresh mix and leave it weak and powdery. Once the joints are struck, I protect the wall with hessian sheeting to control the curing speed in warm weather, or insulation covers if temperatures drop overnight. Repointing needs steady curing to achieve full strength, which is why I do not point external walls during freezing conditions or driving rain.
Brick And Wall Repointing in Sittingbourne and across
Customer Feedback on Our Masonry and Site Standards
Raking out perished mortar produces significant dust and grit, which is why straightforward communication and daily clean-down routines matter as much as the pointing work itself. I take care to protect adjoining paths, neighbouring boundaries, and window frames while the work is underway, keeping disturbance around your home to a minimum.
Below you can read verified feedback from homeowners across Kent who have used C.L. Baker for brickwork repairs and roofing projects. As an independent local tradesperson listed on Checkatrade and recognized among the Three Best Rated roofers in Sittingbourne, I let my everyday punctuality, honesty, and tidy site conduct speak for themselves.
Alan Hollamby
Alan Hollamby
Google review · 5.0 ★
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Star Review – Excellent Roofing Work!
Absolutely fantastic service from start to finish! We recently had new fascia boards fitted and a new dry ridge system installed, and we're extremely pleased with the results.
The workmanship was excellent, with great attention to detail and a really professional finish. The team were friendly, reliable, hardworking and kept everything clean and tidy throughout the job.
The new fascias have completely transformed the appearance of the house, and the dry ridge system looks brilliant too. It's refreshing to find tradesmen who take real pride in their work.
Excellent quality, great service and a job done properly. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a trustworthy and professional roofing company. Five stars well deserved!
The work force went above and beyond to do the job, Very polite, great communication and happy with the work completed. Would definitely recommend these men"
Repointing must be executed with proper trade discipline. If mortar is mixed too wet, smudged across facing bricks, or applied into dry, dusty joints that have only been scratched at the surface, it will fail within a few seasons. I personally inspect and pack every joint on your property to ensure a durable, tight mechanical bond that shields your walls against water penetration for decades to come.
C.L. Baker carries full public liability insurance on every domestic and commercial project undertaken. Because I run the business and work on the scaffolding myself, you have total accountability from the first site appraisal through to final sign-off, without disputes, hidden extras, or sales intermediaries.
Covered
Workmanship on full strip and retile projects and new tiled roofs
Milled lead flashings, dry valleys, ridges, and verges we install
Seamless GRP fibreglass and high-performance flat roof systems
Targeted roof repairs as agreed on your written quotation
On top
Tile, slate, and membrane manufacturer product warranties
Clear photographic evidence of battening, felting, and finished work
Direct contact with Chris Baker throughout—no sales reps or subcontractors
Guidance on Building Regulations Part L requirements for re-roofs
Not covered
Extreme storm damage, gale uplift, or tree strikes occurring after completion
Adjoining roof pitches, shared walls, or areas outside our agreed scope
Subsequent foot traffic or modifications carried out by third-party trades
Water ingress caused by uncleaned, blocked, or overflowing gutters
The guarantee for your job is written on your quote before you agree to anything. Read the full guarantee.
Roof trouble in Sittingbourne? Speak directly with Chris Baker
Call 01795 904566 for straightforward advice from an experienced local roofer. I inspect every roof myself, explain the exact issue plainly, and provide a clear, no-obligation quote with zero subcontractors.