Steps edge at the front of the house needs fettling before the bricks come loose. Best way to deal with this without making a mess is…?

I thought get out the top cm or so where it’s still solid or all the loose stuff with a narrow disk on my angle grinder. Pack it up in layers with a dry mix and a mist of moisture in each layer to set it off. Cover with a damp, (not dripping wet) towel for 24hrs or so. Think I’ll have a job with wet morter filling the deeper gaps without mess all over.

You can buy pointing mortar in a tube these days and use a silicon gun . Less mess

They are high quality engineering bricks with tight joints, I’d use floor tile grout as these bricks are easy to clean as the absorb very little water so treat the surface like tiling grout
The bricks have been painted at some point

I’d gow with redmix and use a waterproof grout.

You can tape up the bricks with masking tape on a small section like that. Redo sponge off then remove the tape

You can buy pointing mortar in a tube these days and use a silicon gun . Less mess

this. Makes it so easy for small jobs.

Thanks Gents, some good suggestions. I didn’t know you could get premixed mastic gun stuff, that would also prevent 24kg of a 25kg sack going off in my shed!

Also apologies for the morter/mortar debacle. 🤦

I wouldn’t recommend using an angle grinder – I’ve seen way too many pieces of ruined brickwork.

I wouldn’t recommend using an angle grinder – I’ve seen way too many pieces of ruined brickwork.

OK, fair point. What’s a better tool for the job then? I’d rather not go buying a new powertool for a one-off task.

I’d go at that with a multi-tool and an old/blunt blade, the impact from the side of the blade will chip out the mortar without touching the brick.

If you have a multi-tool that is…

Do you mean one of these type below? I’ve Dremel, but that’s nothing like man enough for the task. Could get one of these as I’ve a single-battery system and the bare ones aren’t too expensive.

4-1 sand cement mix, add some plasticiser
Push mortar into the joints with thin flat pointing key leaving it flush. Wet a sponge then squeeze water from it and wash the bricks rinsing the sponge after every wipe.
Job done

4-1 sand cement mix, add some plasticiser

too coarse, use grey tile grout as said above

Those tools are ace. It’s a relevation.

So good for cutting architrave and notching stuff.

It’s possibly the best thing I’ve bought tool wise

Those tools are ace.

Very useful, particularly for small plunge cuts and not cutting things you didn’t mean to. It was only when I got one that I realised that what looked like small circular saw the hospital were using to cut the plaster off my broken leg wasn’t actually as dangerous as it looked.

You can buy pointing mortar in a tube these days and use a silicon gun . Less mess

Used these and they are great. Screwfix sell them.