Tuckpointing
Typical Masonry Problems We Fix
Tuckpointing can be defined as the removal and replacement of mortar between stone, block, or brick. Penetrating moisture weakens the mortar that bonds the masonry units together; it also promotes premature deterioration of your brick. When moisture finds its way into a defect on the brick and freezes, it may cause the brick face to spall (fall off), deflect, or displace. Once this happens, your brick is rendered useless, as it offers no structural support to the masonry structure.
As years pass mortar joints between bricks may began to crack and loosen. Our tuckpointing services can repair the problem. Tuckpointing restores the masonry mortar joints between your bricks to eliminate water intrusion, prevent structural compromise, and restores the integrity and aesthetic value of your property.
When Should You Tuckpoint?
The decision to tuckpoint most often is because of an obvious sign of deterioration, such as disintegrating mortar, cracks in mortar joints, loose bricks, damp walls, or damaged plasterwork. Tuckpointing alone may not erase the problem. Therefore the true cause of the deterioration should be determined before having any tuckpointing work done. Leaking roofs or gutters, differential settlement of the building, capillary action causing rising damp, or extreme weather exposure should all be recognized as sources of deterioration and should be dealt with immediately. Without such action, mortar deterioration will continue and any tuckpointing work will not have solved the problem and may have to be redone. Before and After will replace the current failing mortar with new mortar to match the original masonry texture and color as closely as possible. When done properly, tuckpointing will provide a strong, water-resistant joint that will extend the life of your masonry structure and prevent future masonry repair needs.