Pointing a wall

[Covenant]

Started a DIY job at the weekend pointing a low garden wall at the back of my house. I bought pre-mixed mortar and a little pointing trowel. Stuck the mortar in, cleaned off the excess and smoothed it after an hour or two.
The next day it looked crap as the cement has dried into the brick. I have got lots more to do so I don't want to be spending hours with acid cleaning the cement off.
How do brickies do it so they don't make a mess like me? :mental:

[Rare Bird]

Have you tried a wire brush, let the pointing set, brush across the brick (oposite direction to the pointing)?

[Covenant]

I tried a scrubbing brush Andre, not sure if I have a wire one. I am thinking of putting tape over the bricks before I start! I don't think that's what a bricky does though.

[Clive]

Was your mortar too wet? Also one trick with these sorts of things is knowing when to clean up, usually it's as the mortar goes off, ie has started to harden but isn't fully hard. This way it shouldn't spread when you clean it

[jollyfix]

looks like your mix to wet, use a stiff mix, less water and more mixing. You could use a mortar plasticizer, mix this in to the water (just a few drops), this will make a much better mix which will hold together better.
The mortar being stiff, but moist can now be cut with the trowel into thin strips the size of the brick joint (10mm) thick. Less mess on the bricks , you will need another trowel, or a hawk ( flat bit of metal/solid plastic), to hold the mortar as you cut with the pointing trowel.
Place the Hawk next to the joint and slide off your cement strip into the joint.
Do not use tape this will just get wet etc, you could use a brick acid to remove the mortar stain you have.

[walpurgis]

Dave's got it about right, but I'll add this:

Ensure the gaps are brushed free of loose dust before pointing. If it was me I'd paint each joint with diluted Unibond first, but I'm just fussy. Wet each joint lightly first (a hand spray will do it), as this helps the mortar to adhere. Allow the pointing to set for a few hours, then wipe the bricks around the joints with a wet cloth to remove excess cement. When dry, much surface residue will just brush off and you should not get significant staining, any minor staining you do get will weather in quickly.

I did this kind of work for years as a living. I'm no 'brickie', but I am a qualified Master Pavior!

[Covenant]

Thanks for the advice chaps but I am now into rebuilding! I found that the root of a bush was growing through the corner so I have a bit of proper brickwork to do. Had to dig up my best bush as well-Acer Palmatum Dissecctum (probably spelt that wrong.