SOLID & SPOT TUCKPOINTING, BRICK REPAIR/RELAY

Tuckpointing is the process of filling in open or cracked gaps between the bricks with new mortar. We use a grinder with a 4-inch sandwich blade to grind the existing mortar, 3/4 of an inch deep, to allow the new mortar to be filled in between the bricks. This makes the mortar joint new and strong, preventing water from seeping in behind the joints.

Spot tuckpointing is the process of tuckpointing on a smaller scale. It is addressing only major open holes and settling cracks throughout an otherwise solid area. This is replacing mortar in the most problematic areas that are most exposed to water on a house or building. These areas generally are chimney tops, near the top of a building, above and below windows, around doorways, near the bottom of a building and along downspouts. Spot tuckpointing is most beneficial when tuckpointing an entire wall or area is impractical or not cost effective.

A good tuckpointing job is unrecognizable. We try to make a new mortar color match the existing mortar perfectly. We do this by adding one color of dye to the mortar mix or a combination of dyes for the best result. We always match the mortar color a shade darker than the existing mortar color so that when it dries, it is a perfect match.

The most common signs that an area needs to be rebuilt or relayed are bricks that are severely damaged or spalled. This is also true if large sections of walls or an area are wavy or tipping. Chances are good the conditions have gone unnoticed for a long time or an inadequate repair job was performed in the past. Unfortunately, when conditions get to this point, it is considerably more expensive to repair than if the job had been tuckpointed.

B&G Tuckpointing highly recommends timely preventative maintenance to keep costs down and your house secure from water damage.