1.   Finally, new mortar is being inserted in between the stones, involving the total reconstruction of the interior and exterior facings.

2.   Make sure any old mortar has bee cleaned off the stonework before using new mortar.

3.   Anything else, and the new mortar will not stay.

4.   A. When you insert new mortar beween bricks, there is no waiting period before pressing the mortar compactly with a pointing tool.

5.   For deteriorated mortar, the treatment is to chip it out of the joint as deeply as practical, and put new mortar in the joint.

6.   How can I get the new mortar to look like the old?

7.   Last spring some of the mortar cracked and I had to chip it out and put in new mortar, but it is much lighter than the original.

8.   New mortar can be made by mixing type N masonry cement and masonry sand.

9.   Q. I am repairing my brick steps by chipping out old mortar and putting in new mortar between the bricks.

10.   The bricks sound as if they need repointing, which entails digging out the old mortar and inserting new mortar.