The origins of pointing and the evolution of the external façade
restoration extend back to the 18th century.
Until the latter part of this century, it was a specific trade within
the construction industry. Its role within the construction process was
the practical finish to brick, flint and stone constructed buildings for
protection from the elements and to provide aesthetic quality for the
building.
To the detriment of the industry – and the built environment generally – the trade has become diluted by its integration into the bricklaying function and other non-traditional methods. The decline of the trade is nowhere more obvious than in the quality of workmanship between a 21st century brick constructed building and the Georgian façade.
The decline in quality lies in today’s training of the bricklaying trade, which has affected the ability of the industry to produce high-quality architectural brickwork and resulted in a laissez- faire approach to pointing. The decline in today’s workmanship can be seen in some of the current practices of the industry. For example;
- The recent phenomena of new brick-constructed buildings with a specific raked out finish. The inherent problems associated with the type of finish are illustrated graphically within the Obsolescence and Risk section of this website.
- Another example is that of the constraints imposed on developers concerning the façade of buildings under development, with the façade retained during demolition because of the industry cannot match the quality of the existing structure to meet planning criteria.
In an attempt to maintain the rapidly diminishing skills within the repointing trade, the company provides an apprenticeship for those who have a genuine interest in traditional skills. However, because of the limited effect a single company can have on the decline of the trade, the company is constrained in its areas of activity. For this reason the company focuses on the restoration of existing buildings with repointing in the interests of conservation and avoids new-build and pointing with the exception of adaptations to period and historic buildings - see the Portfolio section for examples.
