Joint Mortar in Brickwork
- Practical Purpose: Fills the gaps between bricks, ensuring proper adhesion and stability.
- Aesthetic Purpose: The visible joints (10-20% of the wall surface) significantly influence the appearance of the facade.
- Composition: Joint mortar is primarily made of cement, sand, and water, with lime and mineral coloring agents sometimes added for color variation.
Jointing Techniques
- Timing Variations:
- Belgium: Rough structure is completed first, followed by jointing in a later phase.
- Netherlands: Bricklaying and jointing are done simultaneously from the bottom up.
- Material and Tools:
- Jointers: Long jointers for horizontal joints, short ones for header joints.
- Spraying Technique: An alternative method for jointing.
Tips for Quality Jointing
- Use clean water to make the joint mortar.
- In warm, dry weather, prevent the joint mortar from drying too quickly by misting it with clean water, ensuring strong bonding.
- Joint depth: Follow the Belgian standard, with a minimum depth of 10mm, ideally equal to the height of the joint.
