Repointing Brickwork in Sunderland
If you are looking for brickwork repointing in Sunderland or the surrounding areas. We are a family-run business that prides itself on treating your home like it is our home.
Brickwork Repointing Specialists in Sunderland
When the mortar between your bricks starts to crack, crumble, or wash out, it’s more than a cosmetic issue. Mortar is what helps keep your brickwork weather-tight and stable — and once it fails, water can start finding its way in.
At Windsor Roofing, we provide brickwork repointing in Sunderland and across the surrounding area (up to around 45 miles).
Whether it’s a full elevation, a chimney stack, a garden wall, or problem areas around windows and door openings, we’ll assess what’s needed and put it right properly
What is repointing?
Repointing is the process of removing worn or damaged mortar from the joints between bricks and replacing it with fresh mortar.
Done correctly, it:
- Seals out driving rain and moisture
- Helps prevent damp and internal staining
- Improves the strength and lifespan of the brickwork
- Smartens the appearance of the property
It’s one of those jobs that’s best tackled early — because leaving failing mortar too long can lead to loose bricks, deeper water damage, and more expensive repairs.
Our 5-Step Process
Survey
Quote
Provide a clear quote and discuss payment terms.
Scaffolding
Work
We complete the work to the agreed specification.
Quality
Quality checks and a tidy finish.
Our approach: tidy work, properly matched mortar
Good repointing isn’t just “slap it in and hope”. We take care to match the mortar so the finished job looks right and performs well. We have refined our process and our experience is that it’s best to do the job to the highest standard.
Our process typically includes:
- Inspecting the brickwork and identifying the true cause of deterioration
- Protecting surrounding areas and keeping the site tidy
- Carefully raking out defective mortar to the correct depth
- Preparing the joints properly before repointing
- Applying new mortar neatly and consistently
- Cleaning down and finishing the joints to suit the style of your home
Where bricks are damaged, we can advise on localised brick replacement as part of the work.
Keeping it Simple – What’s included
Every job starts with a proper consultation and inspection, then a written quote. Once accepted, we book suitable dates and organise everything for you, so the job runs smoothly.
Our reputation means everything to us, so we are open, honest, and transparent throughout the process.
Our Other Services
We provide a 10-year guarantee on main roofs.
FREE ROOF SURVEY
Fully Experienced
Highly Rated
Quality Materials
Reliability
Our Promises To You
Your Home is Our Home
We pride ourselves on our core business ethos. We treat every job like we are working on our own home. Giving you the best care.
Insured, Professional and Reliable
Our business name is as important to us as our family name, and we aim to ensure your complete satisfaction! Unfortunately, we cannot control the weather! Rain and wind can cause delays.
A Cleaner and Greener
We don’t use skips. All waste is removed and disposed of in line with recycling and disposal legislation — keeping things tidier on site and reducing unnecessary mess outside your home.
Heritage work and older properties
Older brickwork needs a careful approach. Mortar strength and breathability matter — especially on period homes where the wrong mortar can trap moisture and cause the bricks themselves to degrade over time.
We’re experienced working on heritage and older properties, and we’ll advise on the most appropriate finish and mortar type so the building can breathe and perform as it should.In some cases, permissions can be needed if you’re changing the design or materials, so we’ll advise carefully and help you make the right call before work starts.
What People Say About Us
Family-Run Roofing You Can Rely On.
Debbie
Roof Replacement
"I can’t speak high enough of John and his son, Anthony. My 101 year old Mum had water coming in through her kitchen ceiling following a recent storm and my friend recommended these guys having used them extensively in the past. They came out and gave a quote. However, once they started the job it quickly became apparent that the job was a lot bigger than first anticipated thanks to some previous workmanship resulting in the wall not even being attached to the house!! The job was completed today and I’m over the moon with the result. Would not hesitate to recommend for any roofing jobs."
Laura
Window Fitting
"John and his team were great, John came out promptly and looked at the job in hand and provided a quote in a timely manner, once we booked the job he kept in contact to come out and fully measure up and then organised the window install, john kept me updated all the way through and as soon as the window was made and ready organised a date to complete the job ,John and his team were lovely and very professional, really great job completed and they tidied up everything after, we would definitely use them again "
Richard
New Roof
"We knew from the very first conversation with the lady in the office that this would be a great firm to deal with. We were given an appointment for a quote and Anthony turned up bang on time as agreed. We agreed the cost and timing straight away. This is a family business & John & Anthony were fantastic to deal with. You can really tell that they care about their work & have great attention to detail. Their team of roofers were a great bunch of guys & they tidied up afterwards. Highly recommended. Wouldn’t hesitate to use them again."
Repointing Brickwork FAQ’s
Can you repoint brick yourself?
You can, but it’s one of those jobs that looks simple until you’re halfway in.
If it’s a small, low-level area (like a short garden wall) and you’ve got the right tools, time, and patience, DIY repointing can be doable. The risk comes when it’s on a house—especially at height, around chimneys, or on older brickwork. Bad repointing can trap moisture, crack, or pull away, and you end up doing it twice (or paying to undo it).
For most homeowners in Sunderland, the best route is getting it assessed properly first—because the “right” mortar mix and finish matter just as much as filling the gaps.
How to tell if brickwork needs repointing?
The main signs are usually easy to spot once you know what you’re looking for:
- Mortar is missing, crumbly, or turning to sand when you rub it
- Gaps or cracks in the joints, especially around windows, doors, and corners
- Damp patches internally or externally (often worse after heavy rain)
- White staining (efflorescence) or signs of water running down the wall
- Loose bricks or movement in the wall (the mortar isn’t holding properly)
- Frost damage — faces of bricks starting to flake/spall, often made worse by failing joints
If you’re seeing any of the above, it’s worth sorting sooner rather than later — repointing is preventative, and it helps protect the wall from water getting in and freezing.
What are the common mistakes when repointing brickwork?
This is where most “cheap” repointing jobs go wrong:
- Using the wrong mortar mix (too hard, or not breathable for older brickwork)
- Not raking out deep enough so the new mortar doesn’t bond properly
- Repointing over damp/dirty joints (mortar won’t key in and can fail early)
- Smearing mortar over the brick face and not cleaning as you go
- Poor finishing — joints not compacted or finished properly, so water sits in them
- Working in bad weather (frost, heavy rain, strong sun) which can ruin the cure
- Not matching the original joint style, which can look messy and stand out
Done properly, repointing should look neat, match the property, and keep water out — not just “fill the gaps.”