Definition

Noun: A small, flat-bladed hand tool with a pointed tip, used specifically for applying, shaping, and smoothing mortar or cement into the joints between bricks, stones, or other masonry units.

Usage

A pointing trowel is a specialized tool for detailed masonry work. Its primary function is to finish joints by filling them with mortar (a process called "pointing" or "repointing") and shaping the mortar to create a clean, weather-resistant seal.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The mason used a pointing trowel to carefully apply mortar into the narrow gaps between the old bricks.
  • For a precise finish on the patio stonework, a small pointing trowel is more effective than a larger bricklaying trowel.

Advanced Usage

• "To be handy with a pointing trowel": To be skilled at detailed masonry repair or finishing work.
  • After years of restoration work, he became very handy with a pointing trowel.

Variants and Related Words

• Trowel (n): A broader category of hand tools with a flat metal blade, used for spreading, leveling, or scooping materials like mortar, plaster, or soil. A pointing trowel is a type of trowel.
• Brick trowel (n): A larger trowel with a rounded heel, used for picking up and spreading mortar when laying bricks.
• Margin trowel (n): A small, rectangular-bladed trowel often used for tasks similar to a pointing trowel, such as patching and small repairs.

Synonyms

• Jointing trowel: Another term for a tool used to finish mortar joints, though it may sometimes refer to a tool for creating a specific joint profile.
• Pointing tool: A more general term that can include other implements like jointers or rakers used for finishing joints.

Related Phrases

• "To point masonry" / "Repointing" (v): The process of renewing the mortar joints in brickwork or stonework, which is the primary task performed with a pointing trowel.
  • The historical building needed repointing to prevent water damage.

Noun

1. a trowel used to fill and finish masonry joints with mortar or cement