5 Things You Need to Consider When It Comes to Tuckpointing

5 Things You Need to Consider When It Comes to Tuckpointing

Brick, stone, or block can survive for up to a century. The mortar joints typically endure 20 to 30 years, depending on their exposure to various environmental conditions. Tuckpointing is one of the most prevalent types of mending at the moment. If you notice cracks in your mortar or indications of water damage, you may wonder, “Do I need to get my mortar joints fixed, and when is a good time to start fixing them?” This is an excellent question with an easy response. The following is a list of the most crucial things to know about tuckpointing.

1. What is Tuckpointing?

Tuckpointing, in general, refers to the actions used while doing maintenance and subsequent repairs on mortar joints in brick or stone walls. This is accomplished mainly by grinding or raking out the old mortar up to a particular depth. Following that, the free area is filled with fresh, strong mortar. This is a labour-intensive operation, and a competent masonry business should not have difficulty advising customers when such services are required.

2. When is it Necessary to Tuckpoint?

Old mortar joints are crucial to the stability of walls, but they are also more susceptible to damage caused by weather elements that eventually lead to water getting into cracks in the mortar. This can trigger an array of problems, including moulds. It can also cause damage to the brick and stone, but more so to the mortar itself. Tuckpointing is an excellent way of reinforcing the mortar and making it stronger. From time to time, one needs to inspect their mortar joints to determine when a tuckpointing job is necessary. This is not a complicated process. You just need to look at the colour of the mortar or grout. If it is darker or black, then it means that the mortar needs to be tuckpointed.

3. How to Find the Best Masonry Contractor 

You can find a great masonry contractor who can carry out tuckpointing services by simply searching on the web or asking people who have worked with this or similar services in the past for recommendations. Do not forget to check the references that the mason may have provided to assess if what they are telling you is accurate. One of the best approaches that you can take is to do some due diligence and see if the masonry firm has been in operation for a while. You can also call your local Better Business Bureau to see if they have any complaints against them.

4. When Is It Too Late to Do Tuckpointing?

When you notice your walls becoming loose, you know it’s too late to tuckpoint. In this instance, the only way to alleviate the issue may be to tear down the entire wall and install a new one. Without question, this is a process that many individuals find too expensive. It is critical to detect if your wall needs such treatments early on by contacting a professional before the problem arises. You will save both time and money as a result of this. Again, if you are unsure whether your walls require such treatments, simply contact a professional.

5. Other Reasons to Do Tuckpointing

It is vital to remember that tuckpointing does not only serve to fix damaged mortar joints. More importantly, it can act as a preventive measure for some of the most common issues that affect masonry walls, such as water damage, mould growth, and weak and loose mortar joints.

Conclusion

So there you have it. Tuckpointing is a critical process you need to tackle if you want to renovate your wall. It is also a process that you can undertake as a preventive measure for other problems as well.

Red Robin Masonry is the most respected and trusted masonry company in Ontario. Our services include chimney and fireplace services, tuckpointing, parging, brickwork, stonework, and concrete and foundation services. If you’re looking for brick repair services in Scarborough, give us a call at 416-206-8859 and ask for a quote today!