Pointing.

The effects of the weather on the exposed edges of the joints in masonry usually cause
the mortar to crumble and fall out. For this reason, it is customary to refill the joints to a depth of
from 1/2 to 1 inch, with specially prepared mortar. This operation is called pointing.

In work that is to be pointed, no mortar should be placed within an inch of the front
edges of the stone, as this saves raking out the joints preparatory to the pointing.
Sometimes, strips of wood the exact thickness of the joint are set on the edges of the
lower course. Then, in setting the stone, the superfluous mortar is pressed out and the
stone rests on the wooden strips, which are removed when the mortar is hard.
Pointing is generally done as soon as the walls are completed, but, if the season is too
far advanced, it should be deferred until spring. Under no circumstances should
pointing be done in freezing weather, nor in extremely hot weather, as then the mortar
will dry too rapidly.
The most durable mortar for pointing is made of equal parts of Portland cement and
sand. These materials are mixed with just enough water to give a plastic consistency,
add to this mixture a little slaked lime to make the mortar stick and such coloring
matter as may be desired.
Portland and Rosendale cements discolor most limestones and marbles, and some
sandstones. However, by exercising care, the mortar may be kept from the face of the
stone, and the joints may be pointed afterwards with mortar that will not stain. A
cement made of plaster of paris, lime, and marble dust, called Lafarge cement, is
sometimes used for setting marble and limestone; it is claimed that this cement will
not cause discoloration.

Coping
If no cover is put on the top of a wall, rain will wash out the joints. For this reason, the
parapet walls are capped with a wide stone called coping. Terra cotta is also
occasionally used for this purpose. The upper surface of the coping should be pitched,
as shown at a, Fig. 44, and should have a drip on the under side, as shown at b. The
coping should be about 3 or 4 inches wider than the wall. horizontal coping stones are
often clamped together at their ends to
prevent them from becoming displaced.
G ab le copings should be anchored either
by bond stones or by long iron ties. A form
of coping that is extensively used is shown
in Fig. 45 in which the coping is shown at a,
and the corbel, at c. The bottom stone b,
sometimes known as the kneeler, should
always be well bonded into the wall. In
some cases, the coping is cut in steps, so that
each stone will have a horizontal bearing on
the wall. This method of coping is
objectionable, however, on account of the increased number of joints. It is well to
have long pieces of coping, so as to reduce the number of joints - a common length is
6 feet.
A short piece of coping cut as shown
at a, Fig. 46, should be inserted at
intervals to bond the coping securely to
the wall.
Gable copings do not necessarily have to
be pitched on top, bu they should project
on both sides of the wall and should have
a drip at each edge so as to shed rain
water.

Pipes for water to

come out

Cleaning. After pointing, it is usually necessary to remove the mortar stains, etc. from
the face of the wall. This may be done by scrubbing the stonework with water
containing muriatic acid, the proportions being about 20 parts of water to 1 part acid.
For cleaning granite and limestone, wire brushes are used, and for sandstones and
other soft stones, stiff bristle brushes usually serve the purpose. The stonework should
be scrubbed until all mortar stains are removed.
As previously stated, the sand blast, operated by either steam or compressed air, does
the work of cleaning walls very effectively and rapidly. It not only removes the outer
layer of the discolored stone, but leaves a fresh, bright surface. Even fine carvings
have been very successfully cleaned by this method.