Mortar Matching Specialists

Correct period and historical mortar work requires in-depth specialist knowledge. New mortar should always be the best match to the original build. Equally, it should never set/cure harder than the density of the brick itself.

Lime mortar repair and building work ceased shortly after the Second World War. Sadly, cement mortar was predominantly used thereafter,  to the detriment of many beautiful properties.

Excessive cement ratios in repair mortars restricted “breathability”, causing internal damp issues. Rebuilding work encouraged strangulation, preventing the building’s natural movement and showing as large fractures through the brickwork.

Finelay Construction are experts in mortar matching. All of our repointing works are performed using type matched mortar that is as close as possible to the original build.

Brief Overview of Mortar Types

Period properties should only ever be repointed with a hydraulic lime or lime putty-based mortar. This will ensure that the building can naturally move where necessary without cracking/crazing the mortar joints, as would otherwise happen with cement mortar.

Using a lime mortar also allows the building to “breathe”, allowing a free flow of moisture through the building via the bed (horizontal) and perpend (vertical) joints. This means that any dampness held in the building is released outwardly. Meanwhile, a cement-based joint will block this release and, therefore, lead to potential damp problems.

For newly built properties – where cement-based mortar has been used in their construction – we use a cement and hydrated lime mortar. This will make sure that the joint has sufficient flexibility and remains more durable.