Bedding & Pointing in Inglewood
The original lime bedding on older roofs is long gone — the caps need lifting and re-laying. Serving Inglewood 6052 and the surrounding suburbs.
Fully licensed & accredited — Builders Registration BC105819 · Painters Registration PC102072 · Patent ID AU-A-2020100623
Bedding is the mortar bed the ridge and hip caps sit on; pointing is the flexible compound finished over the top. Over time the bedding cracks and the pointing perishes, the caps loosen and water gets under them. We lift the failed caps, lay a fresh mortar bed and re-point in a flexible compound that moves with the roof. It’s the most common roof repair in Inglewood, and the core of any restoration. Free inspection, written quote, 10-year workmanship warranty.
Bedding and pointing in Inglewood: the short version
Ridge and hip caps are held by a mortar bed and sealed with pointing. Both have a life, and when they go the caps rock loose and let water in at the very top of the roof. Re-bedding and re-pointing sets them solid again and seals the ridge line — a targeted fix, not a whole-roof job. We do the same work through nearby Bedford; more on our bedding and pointing service page.
Why Inglewood roofs behave the way they do
Inglewood is one of Perth's genuine pre-war character suburbs. Developed out of the 1890s gold boom and built mainly across two periods, 1904 to 1920 and 1935 to 1940, its housing is largely Federation and California Bungalow, much of it renovated and restored. Worth knowing. Inspecting a house of this vintage is a specific exercise: original jarrah floors and roof timbers, tuck-pointed. Rendered masonry, high ceilings, early plumbing and wiring, and, crucially, a long history of additions and restorations to trace and assess. Where later work has been done, asbestos-era materials often come with it. Heritage protection constrains what you can do Inglewood sits within the City of Stirling's Heritage Protection Area and there are demolition protections on traditional homes built before 1960, with Character Retention Guidelines on top. For a buyer that is a real consideration: it shapes what you are permitted to do about a defect, how you can alter or extend and whether a knock-down-rebuild is even on the table. Those constraints are far better understood before you buy than discovered afterward. Alongside the character homes, Inglewood has 1960s flats and modern unit developments scattered through it. Some inspections here are strata rather than houses, older 60s common property or newer infill, each with its own concerns. Being inner but inland, coastal salt and delignification are a low priority; the Inglewood story is age, heritage constraint and the care an old character home demands.What that means for bedding and pointing in Inglewood
On Inglewood’s older homes the original lime bedding is usually long past it, and generations of patch-pointing have often made things worse. The caps need lifting, the old bed clearing out, and the whole ridge re-laying properly.
We do it sympathetically — re-bed on fresh mortar, re-point in a flexible compound, and match the finish to the roof, so the ridge line looks right on a character home rather than slapped on.
It’s the same ridge work we carry out through Menora and Coolbinia, and knowing the early warning signs saves you a stained ceiling.
Inglewood roofs: symptom and fix
| What you are seeing | What it usually means | What it needs |
|---|---|---|
| Mortar crumbs in the gutter | Bedding and pointing at end of life | Re-bed and flexible re-point |
| A ridge cap visibly rocking or slipped | Bedding cracked, cap loose | Lift, re-bed, re-point |
| Cracked lines along the ridge pointing | Rigid pointing perished | Flexible re-point |
| Ceiling stain near a ridge or hip | Water tracking under a loose cap | Re-bed the caps, trace the leak |
Guide only. Every roof differs, which is why we inspect before quoting.
More roofing in Inglewood
01Roof Restoration in Inglewood
Learn more
Roof Restoration in Inglewood
Learn moreA restored terracotta roof is what makes an Inglewood bungalow sing, and a botched one is what ruins it. We treat the moss the leafy streets encourage, re-bed and re-point the ridges by hand, replace spalled terracotta with a sympathetic match, and finish in a way that respects the period rather than flattening it. Done well it protects a character roof for decades and keeps a 1930s home looking exactly as it should.
View roof restoration in Inglewood →
02Roof Repairs in Inglewood
Learn more
Roof Repairs in Inglewood
Learn moreInglewood is street after street of interwar bungalows and Art Deco homes, most under original terracotta, and their roofs fail in period ways — a cracked or slipped tile on a steep gable, pointing gone to powder, a decorative ridge detail come loose. On homes with this much character a clumsy repair stands out a mile, so we match the old terracotta, fix the real source of the water, and keep the roofline true to the era.
View roof repairs in Inglewood →
03Roof Cleaning in Inglewood
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Roof Cleaning in Inglewood
Learn moreInglewood's mature street trees keep the bungalow roofs shaded and damp, and moss settles into the cooler terracotta pitches and roots in if it's left. We treat it so it's killed at the root, then clean gently — old terracotta is porous and won't take a heavy blast — and clear the leaf litter. On a well-kept character home a careful clean is often all the roof needs, and it's the honest first step before any recoat.
View roof cleaning in Inglewood →
04Roof Replacement in Inglewood
Learn more
Roof Replacement in Inglewood
Learn moreRe-roofing an Inglewood character home takes a careful eye — much of the appeal is in the original terracotta and the period roofline, so a replacement has to keep faith with that. We'll talk through a sympathetic terracotta re-lay versus Colorbond for the weight, sort the old jarrah framing and flashings properly underneath, and leave a roof that still reads as interwar rather than a modern lid on a bungalow.
View roof replacement in Inglewood →
05Roof Carpentry in Inglewood
Learn more
Roof Carpentry in Inglewood
Learn moreUnder Inglewood's bungalows is original jarrah framing that's carried a terracotta roof for the best part of a century, and where a slow leak has been sitting in it, that timber needs saving. We work sympathetically — sistering and splicing in matching jarrah rather than tearing out — and cut the water off at its source above, keeping the structure sound and true to a home worth preserving.
View roof carpentry in Inglewood →
06Roof Inspection in Inglewood
Learn more
Roof Inspection in Inglewood
Learn moreAn Inglewood bungalow is a lovely thing to buy and an old roof to take on, so a proper look before you sign is worth it. We inspect the terracotta, pointing, valleys and flashings up top and the old jarrah framing from inside, then hand you a photographed, plain-spoken report. On an interwar home the roof is often the biggest unknown, and it's far better understood before settlement than after.
View roof inspection in Inglewood →See all roofing services in Inglewood, or read more about our roof inspection service across Perth.
Signs a Inglewood roof needs re-pointing
- Mortar crumbs washing into the gutters
- Ridge or hip caps that look slipped, uneven or are visibly rocking
- Cracked, powdery pointing along the ridge line
If you can see any of that on your Inglewood roof — or one you’re buying in nearby Mount Lawley — it’s worth doing before winter. See also the signs a roof needs attention.
Local conditions in Inglewood
Pre-war Federation & California Bungalow stock (1904-1940). Old inner character homes: original jarrah floors/roof timbers, tuck-pointed masonry, high ceilings and additions to trace. Asbestos-era materials in later additions.
Heritage Protection Area, pre-1960 homes have DEMOLITION PROTECTION. What you can do about a defect (or rebuild) is legally constrained; buyers must know before purchase.
1960s flats + modern infill among the character homes, mixed strata stock too.
Inner but inland, salt/delignification low priority.
We cover the whole of the City of Stirling. Around Inglewood that takes in Perth and Stirling. Short drives keep roof replacement affordable on smaller jobs and most of ours are smaller jobs.
Materials and specification
The compound matters. Rigid sand-cement pointing looks fine on day one and cracks out as the roof moves — which is why we finish in a flexible pointing compound designed to flex with the tiles and hold for years. The mortar bed underneath is laid to a proper mix, not thrown in.
Re-bedding and re-pointing is also the foundation of a full roof restoration: there’s no point coating a roof over a ridge line that’s about to let go, so we always sort the capping first. It’s worth checking any roofer uses flexible pointing before you hire them.
A little about Inglewood
Character housing Plus 1960s flats and modern unit developments scattered throughout; The Avenues; Beaufort St strip; clock tower (former 1930s Civic theatre) High heritage value; within the City's Heritage Protection Area with Character Retention Guidelines and Demolition Protections on traditional homes built before 1960; heritage rebates None of that decides what your roof needs. It does tell us what to expect before we get the ladder out in Inglewood.
What the work involves
- Lift and assess. We lift the loose or cracked caps, check the tile and batten underneath, and clear the old bed back to a sound surface.
- Fresh mortar bed. The caps are re-bedded on new mortar, set true to the ridge line so they sit solid rather than rocking.
- Flexible re-pointing. We finish with a flexible pointing compound — not rigid mortar — so it moves with the roof and doesn’t crack out again the first hot summer.
- Check the ridge over. While we’re up there we flag anything else the ridge needs, and pair it with a restoration where the whole surface is due, not just the caps.
Common questions about bedding & pointing in Inglewood
What’s the difference between bedding and pointing?
Bedding is the mortar bed the ridge caps sit on; pointing is the flexible compound finished over the top to seal them. Both wear out — when they do, the caps loosen and water gets under. We renew both.
Why does the pointing keep cracking?
Almost always because rigid sand-cement pointing was used. It can’t move with the roof, so it cracks the first hot summer. We use a flexible pointing compound that flexes instead — it’s the difference between a fix that lasts and one that fails again.
My roof is old with lime mortar — can you re-point it?
Yes — on Inglewood’s older homes the original lime bedding is usually gone, so we lift the caps, clear it out and re-lay the ridge properly, finishing sympathetically to suit a character roof.
Is re-pointing worth it or should I just re-roof?
If the tiles and structure are sound, re-bedding and re-pointing is a fraction of a re-roof and buys years — read how long a Perth roof should last. If the whole roof is at end of life we’ll say so rather than pointing a roof that needs replacing.
Can you match the mortar colour?
Yes — flexible pointing comes in a range of colours, so we finish the ridge to suit the tile and the house rather than leaving a mismatched grey line down the roof.
Do you re-bed and re-point throughout Inglewood and nearby?
Yes — across Inglewood and neighbouring suburbs including Bedford and Menora. Ring 0421 768 842 and tell us your street. If the ridge doesn’t need it we’ll say so rather than quoting anyway.
Dulux AcraTex accredited applicators
Powerdrive Roofing is an accredited applicator for the Dulux AcraTex roof restoration system, so your coating carries the manufacturer’s product warranty alongside our own 10-year workmanship warranty. How the Dulux AcraTex warranty works →
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