Independent Kent roofer with over 30 years experience · Direct personal service across Sittingbourne and North Kent
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110-Metre Garden Wall Rake Out & NHL 3.5 Hydraulic Lime Repoint in Rochester
We completed a major 110-metre rake out and repointing project on a substantial period garden wall in Rochester, Medway, where the existing mortar beds had weathered and failed. By cutting back the perished joints and repointing with breathable NHL 3.5 hydraulic lime, the brickwork is now properly protected against winter frost without trapping moisture inside the wall.
Job Summary
- Location:
- Rochester, Kent
- Trade Work:
- Rake Out & Lime Repointing
- Scale of Work:
- 110 Linear Metres
- Mortar Spec:
- NHL 3.5 Hydraulic Lime
- Carried Out By:
- Chris Baker (Owner-Operator)
On-Site Photographs from Rochester
Here is a look at the 110-metre boundary wall during and after the raking out and NHL 3.5 hydraulic lime repointing work.
The Problem: Perished Mortar on a Large Period Boundary Wall
Whether I am up on a roof carrying out chimney stack repointing in Medway or working at ground level on a period boundary wall in Rochester, the cause of mortar failure on older Kentish brickwork is almost always the same. Over decades of wind, driving rain, and winter freeze-thaw cycles, the original lime beds slowly wash out and lose their bind.
On this job in Rochester, the garden wall spanned a massive 110 metres. Significant sections had deep gaps where the old bedding mortar had turned to sand, leaving the bricks loose and allowing rainwater to sit inside the core of the wall. Where previous patch repairs had been attempted using hard modern sand-and-cement, moisture had been trapped behind the dense cement face—putting the softer period bricks at risk of spalling when temperatures drop below freezing.
How We Carried Out the 110m Rake Out & NHL 3.5 Repoint
Repointing 110 metres of brickwork properly takes patience and thorough preparation. Skimming a thin smear of fresh mortar over crumbly joints never lasts more than a winter or two. When you hire C.L. Baker, I carry out and manage the work on site myself without handing your property over to subcontractors, ensuring the preparation is done right the first time.
1. Careful Raking Out to a Clean Depth
Every perished perp and bed joint along the 110-metre run was raked out to a clean, square depth of at least 20mm to 25mm. Care has to be taken around the arrises (edges) of older Imperial bricks so the faces are not chipped or scarred during removal.
2. Brushing Out & Controlling Suction
Once raked out, all loose dust and debris were brushed and flushed clear from the joints. Before laying any lime mortar, the masonry was damped down carefully. Older porous bricks will suck the moisture straight out of fresh mortar if laid dry, which stops the hydraulic lime from curing properly and leads to shrinkage cracks.
3. Repointing with NHL 3.5 Hydraulic Lime Mortar
We mixed a traditional sharp sand and NHL 3.5 (Natural Hydraulic Lime) mortar. NHL 3.5 is the ideal specification for exposed external garden walls, parapets, and chimney stacks in Rochester. It sets firmly enough to resist heavy rain and frost, yet remains vapour-permeable and slightly flexible so the long 110-metre wall can expand, contract, and breathe naturally.
4. Stippling, Curing & Site Tidy-Up
As the lime reached its initial set, the joints were finished back flush and textured with a churn brush to expose the sand aggregate and shed rainwater cleanly. Because raking out 110 metres of masonry generates a lot of brick dust and old mortar rubble, we sheeted down the work areas as we went and left the garden clean and tidy on completion.
Why NHL 3.5 Hydraulic Lime Matters on Older Kent Brickwork
Around Rochester, Chatham, and Faversham, many older houses and boundary walls were built with softer clay bricks fired at lower temperatures than modern engineering bricks. In any traditional wall or chimney stack, the mortar joint is meant to be slightly softer and more porous than the brick itself. That way, when rainwater hits the masonry, moisture evaporates back out through the mortar bed rather than through the face of the brick.
We use the exact same traditional lime principles on our roof repointing, ridge re-bedding, and chimney repairs across Sittingbourne and Medway. Whether it is a tall Victorian chimney stack taking the brunt of estuary winds or a heritage garden wall in Rochester, using the right mortar mix prevents long-term structural damp and frost damage.
Related Service & Area Covered
Based in Bapchild, Sittingbourne, C.L. Baker provides direct, owner-operated roofing and repointing services across North and Mid Kent within a 20-mile radius. Find out more about our repointing work and local coverage in Rochester below.
Roof Repointing in Sittingbourne
Chris Baker provides expert roof repointing in Sittingbourne and Swale. Secure your ridge tiles and chimneys with durable mortar work. Call 01795 904566.
Tiled Roofing in Rochester
Direct, owner-operated roofing services in Rochester from Chris Baker. Over 30 years' experience with Victorian terraces, chimney repairs, leadwork, and tiled roofs. Call 01795 904566.
Our Work
View completed roofing projects across Sittingbourne, Swale, and Medway. Personally managed by Chris Baker with no subcontractors. Call 01795 904566.
Speak Directly to Chris Baker About Your Repointing or Roofing Job
Whether you have weathered lime mortar on a period property in Rochester, a chimney stack that needs raking out and repointing, or a roof leak that needs a straight answer, give me a ring for an honest site inspection and quote.