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A natural-stone patio with clean, freshly pointed mortar joints

Pointing & repointing that keeps water out

Fresh, weather-tight joints for patios, paths and paving. Raking out failed mortar and repointing properly to stop the damage before it spreads.

30+ years · Free survey · Fully insured · One accountable team

Failed joints are where the trouble starts

Cracked, crumbling or missing pointing isn't just untidy. It is the way water gets under your paving, and water under paving is what lifts slabs, grows weeds and turns a sound patio into a repair job.

Once a joint fails, rain runs straight into the bed beneath the slabs. Through winter that water freezes, expands and lifts and cracks the paving from below; the rest of the year the open joints simply fill with weeds and moss. Sound pointing seals the surface so the bed stays dry and stable.

Doing it properly means raking the failed mortar right out, cleaning the joint and repointing with the correct mortar or a quality jointing compound for the paving type, not smearing a thin skim over the top that cracks away again within a season.

We repoint patios, paths, steps and paving, and we're straight with you about what the job actually needs. Sometimes fresh pointing is the whole fix; sometimes loose or rocking slabs point to a base problem underneath that pointing alone won't cure. We tell you which on the survey.

A repointed stone terrace with crisp, weather-tight joints

Why repointing is worth doing

What fresh, properly raked-out pointing does for a patio or path.

Keeps water out

Sealed joints stop rain reaching the bed beneath, which is what causes slabs to lift, crack and loosen.

Stops frost damage

No standing water in the joints means nothing to freeze, expand and heave the paving over winter.

Locks slabs together

Firm joints hold paving as one surface, so individual slabs stop rocking and shifting underfoot.

Beats weeds & moss

Solid mortar leaves nowhere for weeds and moss to root, unlike open or crumbling joints.

Refreshes the whole patio

Clean, uniform joints instantly lift a tired patio, often for a fraction of the cost of relaying it.

Done with the right mortar

Raked out and repointed with a compound suited to the paving, so it bonds and lasts rather than cracking away.

Pointing & repointing FAQs

What is the difference between pointing and repointing?
Pointing is filling the joints between slabs or bricks with mortar the first time; repointing is raking out old, failed mortar and replacing it. Both seal the surface against water. Repointing is the maintenance job that keeps an existing patio watertight once the original joints crack or crumble.
How do I know if my patio needs repointing?
Tell-tale signs are cracked, crumbling or missing mortar between the slabs, weeds or moss growing up through the joints, and slabs that rock or feel loose. Any of these means water is getting into the bed below, so the sooner it is repointed, the less damage it causes.
Can you just repoint, or will the patio need relaying?
It depends on the cause. If the slabs are sound and only the joints have failed, repointing is the whole fix. If slabs are rocking, sinking or hollow-sounding, that usually points to a base problem underneath that pointing alone won't solve. We assess it honestly on the survey and tell you what it genuinely needs.
Why does pointing keep cracking out?
Nearly always because it was skimmed thinly over old mortar, mixed too weak or wrong for the paving, or laid over a moving base. Done properly, the joint is raked right out, cleaned and repointed with the correct compound, so it bonds fully and stays put.

Joints cracking or letting water in?

We'll take a look, tell you honestly whether it's a repointing job or something deeper, and give you a clear written price with no obligation.

07957 229284
  • Free, no-obligation quote
  • 30+ years' specialist experience
  • Fully insured, all projects

What are you planning?

Pick the closest option. We'll refine it on the free survey.

  • Free, no-obligation quote
  • 30+ years' specialist experience
  • Fully insured, all projects
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