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Craig Mason
Engineering Manager
Asked a question 2 years ago

What is the object of pointing? Describe the operation of pointing.

What is the object of pointing? Describe the operation of pointing.

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Terry Collins
Sustainability consultant

There is no specific object of pointing. Due to pointing, we can get a good aesthetic look of the structure.

Basic purpose of pointing is

  • Prevent water penitration from raining
  • Give good aesthetic look.
  • To modify massonary bond.
  • To drain out rain water easily from the the joint of the massonary.
  • Maybe sometime used for the cladding grip

Pointing is a technique to apply cement or lime mortar to brick masonry at joints to prevent the entry of dampness in the building and make it waterproof.
It is also provided for aesthetic purposes.
Operation Carried out is:
Mortar preparation-> application of it on the brick wall joints with the help of trowel->
Finish properly-> apply brush till it gardens.

Pointing is a type of  front of the house exposed finish on masonry works. I have seen it on stone work in parts of northern Karnataka for houses and boundary walls.

Some of the types of pointing are :

  • flush
  • grooved
  • ruled

Pointing is done using richer mix than the stone masonry mortar whilst the mortar in the jones is still green. Joints must be raked properly before pointing. If you are pointing on old work moisten the joints few hours before taking up the pointing.

Hope this helps.

Flenn Hale
Construction Manager
What is the object of pointing? Describe the operation of pointing.

Pointing :

As usual,  1st see the definition of Pointing, then we will discuss its objective and operational steps.

Definition: 

  • Pointing is a technique of repairing mortar joints between brick and other masonry elements.

Objectives of Pointing :

  1. Pointing give good finishing to mortar joint and it also provides a smooth surface
  2. Pointing is essential to protect the joints from atmospheric action
  3. Pointing can improve the appearance of the building.
  4. The whole wall is pointed because defective point can’t easily be a detective.
  5. Pointing consists of racking of joints to a depth of 10 – 20 mm

Types of Pointing :

  • Flush Pointing
  • Recessed Pointing
  • Beaded Pointing
  • Struck Pointing
  • Tu or grooved Pointing
  • Tuckpointing
  • V-pointing
  • Weathered Pointing

Operation steps of Pointing :

  1. Appropriate batching of lime mortar ingredients
  2. Properly mixing of lime mortar with mix proportion 3: 1 (cement: sand)
  3. Application of lime mortar at defective areas
  4. With the help of weather struck and brush, shaping the joints is finally done.
What is the object of pointing? Describe the operation of pointing.

In technical terms, pointing is a process of repairing joints between bricks.

But, In the practical world, it is the technique to fill the gaps between bricks and gives the unplastered wall an aesthetic look.

Following are some commonly used techniques of pointing:

  1. V pointing
  2. Struck pointing
  3. Flush pointing
  4. Tuckpointing
  5. Recessed pointing

Operation of pointing:

  1. Initially racked properly all the joints of bricks
  2. Prepare a rich mix, with good workability. Take a cement to send ratio 3:1.
  3. Mix it properly again and again.
  4. Apply to concrete paste on repairing areas and gaps between bricks with the help of showel
  5. After some time to the finishing touch.

Hope this helps you.

Pointing is done in the area of less rainfall. It is suitable. Salient features of Pointing is given below :

  1. Pointing gives us economy as it removes all extra mortar from the joints of brickwork or stonework. The same is used for pointing where there is less mortar.
  2. It gives a very well and natural appearance of stone or brickwork.
  3. There is no need for plaster if pointing is done properly.
  4. Operation of pointing is very simple. After joining brickwork or stonework, after every 15 minutes, from a brooming device, excess mortar is removed. It is collected at the surface below on some Hessian cloth or plastic sheet, and again it is mixed with fresh mortar with some cement and used in either brickwork or in pointing itself.
  5. In the olden days, it was the most popular method. All British monuments are made by pointing methods and painted brick red.
Hunter May
Commercial energy assessor

Pointing :- It is the art of finishing the mortar joints in the exposed brick or stone masonry with suitable cement or lime mortar, in order to protect the joints from weather effects and also to improve the appearance of building structure. Pointing is a type of front of the house exposed finish on masonry work.

Object of pointing :- The main object of the pointing is to maintaining the joints of the structures. Pointing being cheap can be adopted in places of low rainfall. Pointing gives resisting power to the bricks and stones used in construction towards weather conditions.

Operation of pointing :-
1. All the mortar joints (on the masonry face required to be pointed) are raked out by a special pointing tool to a depth of 15 to 20 mm, so as to provide an adequate key for the fresh mortar used for pointing.
2. All the loose mortar and dust are removed by brushes.
3. The joints and wall surface are washed with clean water, and then kept wet for few hours. The joints so prepared, are filled with suitable mortar with a small trowel.
4. The mortar is well presses into the joints to form a close contact with the old interior mortar joints and all excess mortar sticking to the sides are scraped away.
5. The finished pointing work is kept wet for about 3 days when lime mortar is used for pointing and for 10 days when cement mortar is used for pointing.