Part of the frontage of my 1930's semi is in Accrington brick up to
the level of the sill of the front room bay window. The remainder of
the frontage is rendered and painted white.
The Accrington brickwork requires repointing and a couple of firms are
giving me estimates. One tells me that mastic is the best material to
use the other tells me red sand and cement is best. Both say that a
rub down with oil will give a good appearance.
I know nothing of these things. What is the groups opinion on the best
way to go, please, mastic or sand and cement?

Don

On 23 Sep, 10:41, Poster wrote:
Part of the frontage of my 1930's semi is in Accrington brick up to
the level of the sill of the front room bay window. The remainder of
the frontage is rendered and painted white.
The Accrington brickwork requires repointing and a couple of firms are
giving me estimates. One tells me that mastic is the best material to
use the other tells me red sand and cement is best. Both say that a
rub down with oil will give a good appearance.
I know nothing of these things. What is the groups opinion on the best
way to go, please, mastic or sand and cement?

Don

Not answering the question, but what is different about "accrington"
brick to any other brick ?
Using mastic to repoint bricks sounds bizzarre, also rubbing down with
oil.
Are these bricks glazed or something ?
Simon.

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:06:05 -0700 (PDT), sm_jamieson
wrote:

On 23 Sep, 10:41, Poster wrote:
Part of the frontage of my 1930's semi is in Accrington brick up to
the level of the sill of the front room bay window. The remainder of
the frontage is rendered and painted white.
The Accrington brickwork requires repointing and a couple of firms are
giving me estimates. One tells me that mastic is the best material to
use the other tells me red sand and cement is best. Both say that a
rub down with oil will give a good appearance.
I know nothing of these things. What is the groups opinion on the best
way to go, please, mastic or sand and cement?

Don

Not answering the question, but what is different about "accrington"
brick to any other brick ?
Using mastic to repoint bricks sounds bizzarre, also rubbing down with
oil.
Are these bricks glazed or something ?
Simon.

I've heard them called 'engineering bricks' and Nori bricks, not
glazed but very hard. They're used a lot up 'ere in't north and look
rit grand when done proper.

Don

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:06:05 -0700 (PDT), sm_jamieson
wrote:

On 23 Sep, 10:41, Poster wrote:
Part of the frontage of my 1930's semi is in Accrington brick up to
the level of the sill of the front room bay window. The remainder of
the frontage is rendered and painted white.
The Accrington brickwork requires repointing and a couple of firms are
giving me estimates. One tells me that mastic is the best material to
use the other tells me red sand and cement is best. Both say that a
rub down with oil will give a good appearance.
I know nothing of these things. What is the groups opinion on the best
way to go, please, mastic or sand and cement?

Don

Not answering the question, but what is different about "accrington"
brick to any other brick ?
Using mastic to repoint bricks sounds bizzarre, also rubbing down with
oil.
Are these bricks glazed or something ?
Simon.

Something like this
http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...rick-4998.html

This might help the OP as well
http://www.nori-acidbrick.com/Products.htm

sm_jamieson wrote:

On 23 Sep, 10:41, Poster wrote:
Part of the frontage of my 1930's semi is in Accrington brick up to
the level of the sill of the front room bay window. The remainder of
the frontage is rendered and painted white.
The Accrington brickwork requires repointing and a couple of firms are
giving me estimates. One tells me that mastic is the best material to
use the other tells me red sand and cement is best. Both say that a
rub down with oil will give a good appearance.
I know nothing of these things. What is the groups opinion on the best
way to go, please, mastic or sand and cement?

Don

Not answering the question, but what is different about "accrington"
brick to any other brick ?
Using mastic to repoint bricks sounds bizzarre, also rubbing down with
oil.
Are these bricks glazed or something ?


Accrington brick is a bright red and has a semi-glazed appearance. It
is highly water- and acid-resistant. It was extremely popular in the
Lancashire mill towns where high rainfall, winter freeze/thaw cycles
and acid rain from the mill chimneys made for a very aggressive
environment that demanded a very durable brick.

In these towns, the only other way to get a waterproof building was to
use stone, which was of course much more expensive.

Accrington bricks have continued to be used as engineering bricks in
demanding environments from the 1880s until 2008. Sadly, the closure
of the Accrington brick works, part of Marshalls, now owned by the
Hanson Group, itself a subsidiary of Heidelberg Cement, was announced
only yesterday.

http://www.nori-acidbrick.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smallbr...ld/2542906952/

Poster wrote:
I've heard them called 'engineering bricks' and Nori bricks, not
glazed but very hard.

Aren't they!

I need to cut a 6 inch hole through some for a vent, it's a job i've been
putting off.

Bruce wrote:

Accrington brick is a bright red and has a semi-glazed appearance. It
is highly water- and acid-resistant. It was extremely popular in the
Lancashire mill towns where high rainfall, winter freeze/thaw cycles
and acid rain from the mill chimneys made for a very aggressive
environment that demanded a very durable brick.

In these towns, the only other way to get a waterproof building was to
use stone, which was of course much more expensive.

Accrington bricks have continued to be used as engineering bricks in
demanding environments from the 1880s until 2008. Sadly, the closure
of the Accrington brick works, part of Marshalls, now owned by the
Hanson Group, itself a subsidiary of Heidelberg Cement, was announced
only yesterday.

http://www.nori-acidbrick.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smallbr...ld/2542906952/


Link to news article in the "Lancashire Telegraph" about the closu

http://tinyurl.com/4mdgqo

"Poster" wrote in message
...
Part of the frontage of my 1930's semi is in Accrington brick

Oddly...
http://www.blackburncitizen.co.uk/ne...er_to_cl ose/

'THE historic manufacturer of Accrington Brick is to close with bosses
blaming the economic slowdown. '

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:15:26 +0100, "R D S" wrote:

"Poster" wrote in message
.. .
Part of the frontage of my 1930's semi is in Accrington brick

Oddly...
http://www.blackburncitizen.co.uk/ne...er_to_cl ose/

'THE historic manufacturer of Accrington Brick is to close with bosses
blaming the economic slowdown. '

That is very sad news, especially for the workers there. There are
some mighty fine buildings in the North West built entirely of
accrington brick, or Lancashire Bloods as I believe they were also
known.
I haven't made much progress with my query as to whether they should
be pointed with sand & cement or mastic, but one of the DIY Forums had
this:
"Don't worry..I think we had the wrong materials in ours. I suppose we
could sue the people who advised us but.....
Just make sure you use sand and cement. You may not know about
Accrington Brick ..it has very tight joins and is very non-porous so
red mastic was suggested..it is now coming out."

I suppose that could be due to poor workmanship rather than the wrong
material.

Don

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:41:10 +0100, Poster wrote:

Part of the frontage of my 1930's semi is in Accrington brick up to the
level of the sill of the front room bay window. The remainder of the
frontage is rendered and painted white. The Accrington brickwork
requires repointing and a couple of firms are giving me estimates. One
tells me that mastic is the best material to use the other tells me red
sand and cement is best. Both say that a rub down with oil will give a
good appearance. I know nothing of these things. What is the groups
opinion on the best way to go, please, mastic or sand and cement?



I've been looking for similar info as we have a gable end all built in
Accrington brick and it looks to my untrained eye as if it could do with
some pointing.

--
Mick (Working in a M$-free zone!)
Web: http://www.nascom.info http://mixpix.batcave.net
Filtering everything posted from googlegroups to kill spam.

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:27:53 +0100, Poster wrote:

Just make sure you use sand and cement. You may not know about
Accrington Brick ..it has very tight joins

Which I suppose is why mastic was suggested because it will be easier
to get into the crack between the bricks

You should use sand/cement mortar or better still sand/hydraulic lime
mortar which is probably what was used originally. The pointing of a
brick wall is a sacrificial layer and should be weaker than the brick
(sounds easy in this case) and more porous than the brick (which
mastic isnt) to give a route for water to find its way out

Water will find a way out one way or another and it has done it by
blowing the mastic

Anna
--
Anna Kettle
Lime plaster repair and conservation
Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
Tel: ***(+44) *01359 230642
Mob: *(+44) *07976 649862
Please look at my website for examples of my work at:
www.kettlenet.co.uk *

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 18:45:34 GMT, mick
wrote:

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:41:10 +0100, Poster wrote:

Part of the frontage of my 1930's semi is in Accrington brick up to the
level of the sill of the front room bay window. The remainder of the
frontage is rendered and painted white. The Accrington brickwork
requires repointing and a couple of firms are giving me estimates. One
tells me that mastic is the best material to use the other tells me red
sand and cement is best. Both say that a rub down with oil will give a
good appearance. I know nothing of these things. What is the groups
opinion on the best way to go, please, mastic or sand and cement?



I've been looking for similar info as we have a gable end all built in
Accrington brick and it looks to my untrained eye as if it could do with
some pointing.

Looks like there's only Anna who knows anything about it!

Don

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:24:22 GMT, (Anna Kettle) wrote:

On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:27:53 +0100, Poster wrote:

Just make sure you use sand and cement. You may not know about
Accrington Brick ..it has very tight joins

Which I suppose is why mastic was suggested because it will be easier
to get into the crack between the bricks

You should use sand/cement mortar or better still sand/hydraulic lime
mortar which is probably what was used originally. The pointing of a
brick wall is a sacrificial layer and should be weaker than the brick
(sounds easy in this case) and more porous than the brick (which
mastic isnt) to give a route for water to find its way out

Water will find a way out one way or another and it has done it by
blowing the mastic

Anna

Thanks Anna, I will follow your advice.

(Enjoyed your website BTW)

Don

On Sep 24, 11:58*am, Poster wrote:
On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:24:22 GMT, (Anna Kettle) wrote:
On Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:27:53 +0100, Poster wrote:

Just make sure you use sand and cement. You may not know about
Accrington Brick ..it has very tight joins

Which I suppose is why mastic was suggested because it will be easier
to get into the crack between the bricks

You should use sand/cement mortar or better still sand/hydraulic lime
mortar which is probably what was used originally. The pointing of a
brick wall is a sacrificial layer and should be weaker than the brick
(sounds easy in this case) and more porous than the brick (which
mastic isnt) to give a route for water to find its way out

Water will find a way out one way or another and it has done it by
blowing the mastic

Anna

Thanks Anna, I will follow your advice.

(Enjoyed your website BTW)

Don- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Four parts building sand.
One sharp sand.
One lime.
One cement.
Cant go wrong with that mix for re-pointing.

In article
,
sm_jamieson wrote:
On 23 Sep, 10:41, Poster wrote:
Part of the frontage of my 1930's semi is in Accrington brick up to
the level of the sill of the front room bay window. The remainder of
the frontage is rendered and painted white.
The Accrington brickwork requires repointing and a couple of firms are
giving me estimates. One tells me that mastic is the best material to
use the other tells me red sand and cement is best. Both say that a
rub down with oil will give a good appearance.
I know nothing of these things. What is the groups opinion on the best
way to go, please, mastic or sand and cement?

Don

Not answering the question, but what is different about "accrington"
brick to any other brick ?
Using mastic to repoint bricks sounds bizzarre, also rubbing down with
oil.
Are these bricks glazed or something ?
Simon.
When I were a lad,

Pointing Nori brick was done with what looked like red sand mixed with oil.
There might have been other stuff in the mix- idon't know. One slight
drawback was that the oil (linseed I believe) was popular with the sparrows
who seemed to find it very palatable

John

--
John Mulrooney
NOTE Email address IS correct but might not be checked for a while.

JTM wrote:

When I were a lad,

Pointing Nori brick was done with what looked like red sand mixed with oil.
There might have been other stuff in the mix- idon't know. One slight
drawback was that the oil (linseed I believe) was popular with the sparrows
who seemed to find it very palatable


Are you sure you aren't thinking of "red raddle", which was a
decorative treatment used to colour the bricks and/or mortar?

The bricks should be pointed with lime mortar. Treating afterwards
with red raddle is optional. ;-)

In article ,
Bruce wrote:
JTM wrote:

When I were a lad,

Pointing Nori brick was done with what looked like red sand mixed with oil.
There might have been other stuff in the mix- idon't know. One slight
drawback was that the oil (linseed I believe) was popular with the sparrows
who seemed to find it very palatable


Are you sure you aren't thinking of "red raddle", which was a
decorative treatment used to colour the bricks and/or mortar?

The bricks should be pointed with lime mortar. Treating afterwards
with red raddle is optional. ;-)

Red raddle. A red pigment used to mark sheep / red iron ore.

Might be I recall that the dryish morter like stuff went into the joints
and stood proud when finished. Definitely the joints and not the brick
face. Accy Nori brick is often shiny anyway

John

JTM wrote:

In article ,
Bruce wrote:
JTM wrote:

When I were a lad,

Pointing Nori brick was done with what looked like red sand mixed with oil.
There might have been other stuff in the mix- idon't know. One slight
drawback was that the oil (linseed I believe) was popular with the sparrows
who seemed to find it very palatable


Are you sure you aren't thinking of "red raddle", which was a
decorative treatment used to colour the bricks and/or mortar?

The bricks should be pointed with lime mortar. Treating afterwards
with red raddle is optional. ;-)

Red raddle. A red pigment used to mark sheep / red iron ore.

Might be I recall that the dryish morter like stuff went into the joints
and stood proud when finished. Definitely the joints and not the brick
face. Accy Nori brick is often shiny anyway


I think you recall correctly. In other parts of northern England,
where Accrington brick was not the most popular choice, the red raddle
was also used to colour the bricks. But as you say, it would not have
adhered well to the Nori bricks.

replying to Poster, Phillip Holden wrote:
Yes Accrington class A bricks are one of the best bricks in the World.
The red Nori brick is the least porous of any other brick and I personally
would recommend using "red mastic" to point between the joints.
The joints between the bricks should be cleaned out first and then the
vertical joints should be pointed first and then the horizontal.
Tubs of Red Mastic can be bought from any decent builders merchants.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...rk-509732-.htm

On 01/06/2017 22:14, Phillip Holden wrote:
replying to Poster, Phillip Holden wrote:
Yes Accrington class A bricks are porous and I personally
would recommend using mastic to clean out the
vertical joints



I assume that the original poster has pointed his brickwork in the 9
years since asking the question.

It appears yet again the users of the home crap hub cannot read dates
not quote from the original post.

--
mailto: news {at} admac {dot] myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

alan_m wrote:
On 01/06/2017 22:14, Phillip Holden wrote:
replying to Poster, Phillip Holden wrote:
Yes Accrington class A bricks are porous and I personally
would recommend using mastic to clean out the
vertical joints



I assume that the original poster has pointed his brickwork in the 9
years since asking the question.

It appears yet again the users of the home crap hub cannot read dates
not quote from the original post.


It's in their charter. "Thou shalt not quote nor create a new thread. The
only true way is to respond to ancient messages. Never ever acknowledge
responses. Anything else is heresy."

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

replying to Phillip Holden, Poster wrote:
I'm sure the original poster has fixed the problem, or died, or something.

The OP is from 2008 you geniuses...


--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...rk-509732-.htm

On 01/06/17 22:40, Tim+ wrote:
alan_m wrote:
On 01/06/2017 22:14, Phillip Holden wrote:
replying to Poster, Phillip Holden wrote:
Yes Accrington class A bricks are porous and I personally
would recommend using mastic to clean out the
vertical joints



I assume that the original poster has pointed his brickwork in the 9
years since asking the question.

It appears yet again the users of the home crap hub cannot read dates
not quote from the original post.


It's in their charter. "Thou shalt not quote nor create a new thread. The
only true way is to respond to ancient messages. Never ever acknowledge
responses. Anything else is heresy."

Tim


Your post actually made it back to their site:

https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...k-509732-1.htm

Given their users are so clueless (can't read dates) I don't think any
of them should be attempting anything beyond breathing.

On 01/06/2017 22:14, Phillip Holden wrote:
replying to Poster, Phillip Holden wrote:
Yes Accrington class A bricks are one of the best bricks in the World.
The red Nori brick is the least porous of any other brick and I personally
would recommend using "red mastic" to point between the joints.
The joints between the bricks should be cleaned out first and then the
vertical joints should be pointed first and then the horizontal. Tubs of
Red Mastic can be bought from any decent builders merchants.

I had initially thought this was spam from the homeowners web****e like
a number of recent posts.

However I'm sure that any self respecting website owner operator
wouldn't reply to 9 year old posts.

On Friday, 2 June 2017 11:49:20 UTC+1, Fredxxx wrote:
On 01/06/2017 22:14, Phillip Holden wrote:
replying to Poster, Phillip Holden wrote:
Yes Accrington class A bricks are one of the best bricks in the World.
The red Nori brick is the least porous of any other brick and I personally
would recommend using "red mastic" to point between the joints.
The joints between the bricks should be cleaned out first and then the
vertical joints should be pointed first and then the horizontal. Tubs of
Red Mastic can be bought from any decent builders merchants.

I had initially thought this was spam from the homeowners web****e like
a number of recent posts.

However I'm sure that any self respecting website owner operator
wouldn't reply to 9 year old posts.

Where do you get the idea that they might be self respecting?
You're right though that they let their users do the spamming for them unintentionally.


NT

On Friday, 2 June 2017 08:22:47 UTC+1, Tim Watts wrote:
On 01/06/17 22:40, Tim+ wrote:
alan_m wrote:
On 01/06/2017 22:14, Phillip Holden wrote:
replying to Poster, Phillip Holden wrote:

I assume that the original poster has pointed his brickwork in the 9
years since asking the question.

It appears yet again the users of the home crap hub cannot read dates
not quote from the original post.


It's in their charter. "Thou shalt not quote nor create a new thread. The
only true way is to respond to ancient messages. Never ever acknowledge
responses. Anything else is heresy."

Tim


Your post actually made it back to their site:

https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...k-509732-1.htm

Given their users are so clueless (can't read dates) I don't think any
of them should be attempting anything beyond breathing.

A couple of regulars here think even that is too much. FWIW I think that would be a tad OTT for the sin of being web-clueless.


NT

wrote in message
...
On Friday, 2 June 2017 11:49:20 UTC+1, Fredxxx wrote:
On 01/06/2017 22:14, Phillip Holden wrote:
replying to Poster, Phillip Holden wrote:
Yes Accrington class A bricks are one of the best bricks in the World.
The red Nori brick is the least porous of any other brick and I
personally
would recommend using "red mastic" to point between the joints.
The joints between the bricks should be cleaned out first and then the
vertical joints should be pointed first and then the horizontal. Tubs
of
Red Mastic can be bought from any decent builders merchants.

I had initially thought this was spam from the homeowners web****e like
a number of recent posts.

However I'm sure that any self respecting website owner operator
wouldn't reply to 9 year old posts.

Where do you get the idea that they might be self respecting?
You're right though that they let their users do the spamming for them
unintentionally.


NT
I wonder if it's possible to re-enter all posts received here from HOH back
into HOH automatically? That might mess up their threads and deter their
users.
--
Dave W

On Friday, 2 June 2017 23:30:55 UTC+1, Dave W wrote:
tabbypurr wrote in message
...
On Friday, 2 June 2017 11:49:20 UTC+1, Fredxxx wrote:
On 01/06/2017 22:14, Phillip Holden wrote:
replying to Poster, Phillip Holden wrote:

Yes Accrington class A bricks are one of the best bricks in the World.
The red Nori brick is the least porous of any other brick and I
personally
would recommend using "red mastic" to point between the joints.
The joints between the bricks should be cleaned out first and then the
vertical joints should be pointed first and then the horizontal. Tubs
of
Red Mastic can be bought from any decent builders merchants.

I had initially thought this was spam from the homeowners web****e like
a number of recent posts.

However I'm sure that any self respecting website owner operator
wouldn't reply to 9 year old posts.

Where do you get the idea that they might be self respecting?
You're right though that they let their users do the spamming for them
unintentionally.

I wonder if it's possible to re-enter all posts received here from HOH back
into HOH automatically? That might mess up their threads and deter their
users.

I'm sure their users would be none the wiser.


NT

replying to alan_m, Mastercraftsman wrote:
I'm sure there will be people looking for up to date new products


--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...rk-509732-.htm

replying to Poster, fcbolton wrote:
going back many years...... mastic could be bought in bags as dry sand
together with a powdered red dye. for red accringtons rake out the joints as
depth of about6mm (the original mortar is likely to be "clog iron
mortar".which is based on ground ashes .buildings built late 19th century
before cement was widely available. mix the mastic powder with BOILED
linseed oil (some say double boiled linseed oil) paint the raked out
joint with a primer of boiled linseed oil. point the joint with the mixed
mortar. the mix should be fairly stiff but well mixed . do the vertical
sections first try and do about 1m sq at a time.. the boiled oil acts as a
drying agent and will take days to set (compare with cement mortar which sets
within 3hours.. when the who wall is complete paint the whole wall surface
brick face and new joints with one coat boiled linseed oil. allow to set(set
not dry). i have made small samples of boiled oil based mortars and they
set to a vey hard mass. only do this type of pointing to accrington hor
semi engineering brick. the normal modern brick requires a weak cement lime
sand mortar water mixed this allows any dampness to evaporate through the
joints NOT through though the face of the brick normal recc is 1 1 6
cement lime sand mix. many 19th cent buildings may not have been built
with a cavity thus rain kept out with the boiled linseed.

p

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy...rk-509732-.htm