Lime repointing a Victorian sandstone house

This substantial restoration involved removing failing cement ribbon pointing from the side elevation of a mid-19th century Victorian sandstone house in Bridgwater. Around 800kg of hard cement mortar was carefully removed from 105m² of fragile red sandstone before the wall was repointed using approximately one tonne of traditional lime putty mortar. The cement had contributed to deterioration of the soft sandstone by forcing moisture through the stone rather than the joints. Repointing in softer, breathable lime mortar allows the wall to manage moisture as originally intended, helping protect the historic stone for decades to come.