It is good to note that repointing and tuckpointing are not the same things but, unfortunately, are used interchangeably sometimes. Repointing is the process that involves removing damaged mortar joints and renewing them. Tuckpointing is a style that uses two different colors of mortar to renew the joints, and it is not always used for damage control. They both can also be lumped under the term brick masonry. Whenever you hire a mason to do tuckpointing or repointing, make sure they can explain to you the difference! At Davis Masonry, we make sure to spell everything out for our clients as clearly as possible to avoid confusion.
Tuckpointing can repair the worn-out mortar between the bricks of your house. It is the restoration aspect of the masonry trade. Beware! Not every masonry company specializes in tuckpointing, so you need to make sure you hire someone (like Davis Masonry) who is an expert to get the best results! Some of the reasons you will need tuckpointing will be when you have recess joints. These areas where the mortar is crumbling or turning into dust and the joints are recessed. This may not be a structural issue yet; however, you are going to want to fill those as preventative maintenance, so you do not have water sitting in the recesses. The other things you want to note are stress cracks. These are very common above windows, below windows, and above doors. They look like steps going up the wall. Normally, these stress cracks go through the mortar, but occasionally it does go through the brick. In this case, you will have to get the bricks removed and replaced.
It is good to note that repointing and tuckpointing are not the same things but, unfortunately, are used interchangeably sometimes. Repointing is the process that involves removing damaged mortar joints and renewing them. Tuckpointing is a style that uses two different colors of mortar to renew the joints, and it is not always used for damage control. They both can also be lumped under the term brick masonry. Whenever you hire a mason to do tuckpointing or repointing, make sure they can explain to you the difference! At Davis Masonry, we make sure to spell everything out for our clients as clearly as possible to avoid confusion.
Tuckpointing can repair the worn-out mortar between the bricks of your house. It is the restoration aspect of the masonry trade. Beware! Not every masonry company specializes in tuckpointing, so you need to make sure you hire someone (like Davis Masonry) who is an expert to get the best results! Some of the reasons you will need tuckpointing will be when you have recess joints. These areas where the mortar is crumbling or turning into dust and the joints are recessed. This may not be a structural issue yet; however, you are going to want to fill those as preventative maintenance, so you do not have water sitting in the recesses. The other things you want to note are stress cracks. These are very common above windows, below windows, and above doors. They look like steps going up the wall. Normally, these stress cracks go through the mortar, but occasionally it does go through the brick. In this case, you will have to get the bricks removed and replaced.