Tiled · Leak prevention
Ridge capping repointing and rebedding
Every tiled roof in Melbourne eventually fails at the ridge. The mortar bed under the capping dries, shrinks and lets go, and once water gets past it, it runs along the timber rather than the tile, which is why the stain never appears where the fault is.
Signs you need it
How to tell from the ground.
- Visible cracks along the ridge line, or mortar on the ground after wind
- Ridge caps that rock when touched
- A leak that only appears in driving rain, not vertical rain
- The roof is fifteen years or older and has never been repointed
- You are selling and a building inspector has flagged the capping
The process
What we actually do, in order.
Assess bedding versus pointing
Two different failures with two different fixes. Pointing over failed bedding is quick, cheap, and will be back within two years. We tell you which one you actually have.
Strip the old mortar
Failed bedding removed back to sound material. Caps lifted and set aside for reuse where they are intact.
Re-bed the capping
Caps re-laid on fresh bedding, set to line, and left to go off properly before the next stage.
Flexible pointing
Pointing compound applied over the bedding joint. It stays flexible through Melbourne's temperature swings instead of cracking away the first hot summer.
What it costs
We don't publish a price. Here's what moves it.
Every roof is a different age, size and condition. Anyone quoting this over the phone is guessing, and the guess is always low.
- Total linear metres of ridge and hip
- Whether bedding needs replacing or only pointing
- How many caps have broken and need replacing
- Roof pitch and access
- Whether a pressure clean is needed first
Questions
Repointing & Rebedding: common questions
What is the difference between bedding and pointing?
Bedding is the mortar the ridge cap sits on: the structural part. Pointing is the finishing layer over the joint that seals it. If the bedding has gone, repointing alone is a cosmetic fix that will fail.
How long does repointing last?
Flexible pointing on sound bedding should give you fifteen to twenty years. Rigid mortar over failed bedding might give you two.
Do I need a full restoration instead?
Not always. If the tiles are sound and only the capping has gone, repointing is the honest answer and costs a fraction of a restoration. We will say so.
Related
You might also need
Emergency call-out
Roof leaking right now?
Storm damage, a sheet lifted, water coming through the ceiling. Ring the mobile. We get a temporary fix on it and make the roof safe, then quote the permanent repair once it's dry enough to work on properly.
Need repointing & rebedding?
Free on-site inspection, photos of everything we find, and a written quote with nothing hidden in it.