Types of pointing and how each fails
Traditional sand-and-cement pointing is prone to cracking with frost and general movement, and can wash out over time if it was mixed too wet or too dry.
Modern flexible resin-based jointing compounds are more forgiving of minor movement but can still fail if under-applied, applied in wet conditions, or used on joints that are too wide or too narrow for the product.
Signs of failure and what they mean
Fine surface cracking along a joint without any looseness is usually just weathering of a rigid mortar and is cosmetic rather than structural.
Pointing that has come away in chunks, or a joint you can push a fingernail into and lift, has lost adhesion — often from being laid in the wrong conditions or on a damp, dusty joint face.
- Hairline cracking, joint still solid: normal weathering of rigid mortar
- Pointing crumbling to powder when touched: mix was too weak or too wet
- Whole sections lifting out: poor adhesion, laid on a dirty or damp joint
- Pointing sound but slabs rocking: the problem is below, not the joint itself
When it's a bedding problem, not a pointing problem
If pointing keeps cracking in the same spots repeatedly, it's often not the pointing at fault at all — it's a slab moving slightly underneath, and the joint is simply the weakest point that shows the strain first.
Re-pointing over a moving slab is a temporary fix at best. It's worth checking whether individual slabs rock before assuming the pointing alone needs attention.
How a proper re-point is done
Failed pointing needs to be fully raked out to a consistent depth, the joint brushed clean and dry, and new material compacted in fully rather than skimmed across the top — a common shortcut that looks fine initially but fails within a season.
Joints should be pointed in dry, mild conditions; rushing this in cold, wet or very hot weather is one of the most common causes of early failure.
Keeping new pointing sound
Avoid pressure-washing directly into joints, since a jet can blast out even well-applied pointing. Keep patios reasonably free of moss and standing leaf litter, since trapped moisture accelerates joint breakdown over winter.
Frequently asked questions
Can I re-point over old pointing?+
No — old material needs to be raked out first. Pointing applied over failing material just fails again, usually faster.
Why does my pointing keep cracking in the same place?+
That's often a sign a slab underneath is moving slightly, rather than a fault with the pointing mix itself.
Is resin jointing better than sand and cement?+
It's more flexible and generally more weather-resistant, but it still needs correct application — it isn't a fix for a poorly bedded patio.
How soon after rain can pointing be redone?+
Joints need to be genuinely dry, not just surface-dry, so we generally wait for a settled dry spell rather than rushing it.
Do you offer a guarantee on re-pointing work?+
Yes, re-pointing carried out by us is covered under our 10-Year Guarantee.
Get your pointing properly diagnosed
We'll check whether it's the joints or the slabs underneath before recommending a fix — call 0191 743 3072 or email us photos.