How easy is Ribbon pointing?

[Abi Cott]

I have a customer with a fantastic example of what looks like cement ribbon pointing on the internal stone walls of their cottage. With the redesign of the kitchen some wall that is probably unpointed is going to be exposed. I need to advise them on how easy it will be to match the existing pointing and what level of skill the professional they employ will require.

 

[MatthewC]

Any chance of a photo? I'm having trouble understanding the concept of "fantastic" ribbon pointing!

In Sicily recently, I saw a museum which had a vaulted ceiling and they had ribbon pointed it with straight edges so it was very geometric. Ugh.

Matthew

 

[a twig]

Ribbon pointing is the stonework equivalent of woodchip wallpaper... Would be better to get the existing ribbon pointing removed rather than inflict it on another poor defenceless wall... I have metres of the stuff that I have to hack off in the next few months...

That said, if the customer cannot be persuaded otherwise:

It's not technically that difficult, but to get it to look "good" it requires a "professional" who has patience, care and concern to do a neat job... Price wise probably £60-70 per square metre plus materials.

 

[Abi Cott]

I've cropped the only image I took for data protection purposes. The pointing I'm referring to can just be seen at the very edge of the picture.

 

[stuart45]

Not too much of a problem for a bricklayer with some experience of that kind of pointing, although nowadays it's not very common to be asked to do it. Usually it's to knock it out and replace with something different.
You just need to build up the joint thickness and then cut the lines into the mortar and cut off the excess to the marks. Some people have special tools to make the marks, especially with the rounded bead type of pointing, although the one in the photo looks like it's square edged.

 

[Abi Cott]

It was definitely square edged with almost a crazy paving effect around the irregular blocks of stone.

The area likely to be un matching is below worktop height and probably about 2 meters long so it's is only a couple of square metres.

I might try putting them in contact with a conservation builder.

 

[Abi Cott]

Given this is a question about my professional field and whilst my user name is not my full name it is close enough I'm cautious.