Seeking Tuckpointing & Mortar Repair Near You? New Buck Can Help
Tuckpointing is a specialized skill that our masonry repair experts can help you with in Shreveport, Frierson, and anywhere surrounding. For masonry repair services near you, trust New Buck – contact us today.
What Is Tuckpointing?
Tuckpointing (sometimes referred to as pointing or repointing) is the process of removing old, inferior, or damaged mortar and replacing it with new mortar.
Sounds simple, right? Not so fast. Proper tuckpointing requires the use of a proper mortar mix that matches your old mortar in color, composition, and texture. If it doesn’t, not only will you have poor-looking results, but your chimney won’t be as structurally sound. Because of this, trust a masonry expert is imperative.
When done properly, tuckpointing can provide you with solid, durable mortar joints that can last you for years.
When Is Tuckpointing Necessary?
Damaged mortar can be a result of environmental damage, age, or improper maintenance, and tuckpointing can help restore the structural stability of your fireplace and chimney system significantly. It also helps to protect the bricks in the masonry from further water damage.
The most common reasons tuckpointing is needed are:
- Water damage: Water is one of the most damaging elements and can cause significant deterioration to the brick and mortar of your masonry. If the mortar in your joints is not protected properly, it won’t repel water and withstand exposure – which means, water can seep into the joints, causing cracking and crumbling of the mortar and brick. Once cracks develop in the mortar, they open up avenues for water to penetrate deeper into the mortar and bricks. Quality mortar and proper waterproofing will prevent this decay from happening.
- Acid damage: Rain water is not as pure as we’d like to believe and can sometimes contain relatively high levels of acidity. Many mortars are not prepared to thrive under these conditions and can quickly crumble from exposure to acid rain. When having your tuckpointing done, a skilled mason should apply an acid-resistant, non-water-soluble refractory mortar to the joints. This will prevent you from having this type of deterioration in the future.
- Settling, shifting, and earthquakes: Sometimes, cracks in mortar are a result of a home’s shifting and settling that naturally happens over time. If you notice these cracks early on, they can be addressed before causing any real structural damage. Another possible cause of cracks in the mortar of masonry is the shifting of the home during an earthquake. If your home has experienced an earthquake, it’s important that you have it inspected for possible damage.
- Age and neglect: Mortar and brick can naturally deteriorate with age, especially if not properly maintained. Proper maintenance is important because it can help you locate mortar damage before it becomes a serious issue. Because of this, we urge our customers to invest in annual sweeps and inspections, and to schedule repairs swiftly, if they are needed.
How Is Mortar Tuckpointing Done?
Before the new mortar (which is carefully selected and mixed) can be put into the masonry, a consistent and even amount of the old mortar must be removed. New Buck Chimney Services will decide which types of tools will be best for your particular brick and mortar. Although there are a variety of tools that can get the job done, certain tools are better than others, depending on the masonry and the age of the building.
Once the old mortar is removed, the new mortar is mixed and applied to the joints. Several layers may be required, depending on the amount of damage to the mortar joints. It is important that you hire a professional to do your tuckpoint work to ensure that the mortar matches the existing mortar in texture, color, and finish.
Get Quality Tuckpointing Results By Working With Us
At New Buck Chimney Services, we guarantee a cleaner, smoother, longer-lasting mortar surface with every tuckpointing job we do. To schedule, give us a call or reach out online today.
Does your fireplace need smoke stain removal? Be sure you rely on professionals like New Buck Chimney Services for this important masonry work.