Tuckpointing for brick houses and chimneys in Hoopeston
Smittys Masonry Restoration does tuckpointing in Hoopeston, Illinois. Brian Lee Smith grinds out mortar that has gone soft, cracked or fallen out of brick and stone joints, and packs in new mortar that suits the brick, so the wall sheds water again. He does it on houses, chimneys and foundations. Call or text (217) 549-2230 with a photo of your joints.
When your mortar joints are done
Mortar joints wear out. That is normal, and on old houses it is the way the wall was meant to work. The signs are easy to spot once you know them. The mortar has sunk back from the face of the brick. It is cracked or pulling away from the brick at the edges. It crumbles to sand when you scrape it with a key. There are gaps where it has fallen out completely.
When joints get like that, water runs into the wall every time it rains, and every freeze pushes the brick a little more. That is when tuckpointing pays for itself.
How Brian does the work
The old mortar is cut out of the joints down to sound material, carefully, so the edges of the brick are not chipped. The joints are cleaned out. New mortar is packed in tight, in layers where the joints are deep, and tooled to match the joints on the rest of the wall. Then it is left to cure in the right conditions.
- Failed mortar cut out to sound material
- Brick edges protected while cutting
- Joints cleaned and packed tight
- Tooled to match the wall
- Cured without freezing or baking
The right mortar for the brick
This is the part that separates a good job from one that causes trouble. On old soft brick, the new mortar should be softer than the brick and let water dry out through the joints. A hard cement mortar on old brick traps water and pushes the damage into the brick, so the joints look great while the brick around them flakes apart.
Newer houses with hard modern brick take a modern mortar. The rule is the same either way. The mortar should suit the brick.
Where it is usually needed first
On most houses in Hoopeston the chimney needs it before anything else, because it takes the most weather. After that come the walls that face the worst weather, the bottom courses near the ground where snow sits and splashback soaks the brick, and the brick under leaking gutters. Often only those areas need tuckpointing, and the rest of the house can wait. That keeps the cost down.
Foundations too
Tuckpointing is not only for walls you can see from the street. The part of a brick or stone foundation that shows above ground, and the inside face of a basement wall, often need repointing as well. On a stone foundation it is one of the best ways to keep a sound wall sound.
Timing
Outdoor tuckpointing needs mortar to stay above about 40 degrees while it cures, so it is mostly spring to fall work in Illinois. If your joints are getting bad, get them looked at before the cold weather. Text a close photo with a key or a coin in the shot to (217) 549-2230.
Questions.
How much of my house needs tuckpointing?
Often only the chimney and the worst weather sides. Brian can tell you from photos which areas need it now.
Will new mortar match my old mortar?
It should match in color, texture and hardness so it blends in and suits the brick. Ask Brian about matching on your house.
Can I tuckpoint in winter?
Outdoor mortar needs to stay above about 40 degrees while it cures, so cold weather limits it.
Is tuckpointing worth it?
Yes, when the joints are worn. It is the least costly way to keep water out of brick and avoid replacing brick later.
Who does tuckpointing near me in Hoopeston?
Smittys Masonry Restoration, based in Hoopeston. Call or text Brian at (217) 549-2230.
Keep reading.
Brick and chimney
Tuckpointing, brick repair and chimney repair for older houses in Hoopeston and Vermilion County, Illinois.
Tuckpointing vs repointing
What tuckpointing and repointing really mean, how the work is done and how to tell your joints are due, from Hoopeston, IL.
Soft mortar for old brick
Why old soft brick and stone need a mortar softer than the brick, what hard mortar does to old walls, and how to match it.
Brick repair
Cracked, flaking, loose and missing brick repaired and replaced on older houses in Hoopeston, Illinois.
Hoopeston
Foundation replacement, foundation repair, tuckpointing, brick and chimney repair in Hoopeston, Illinois, from a Hoopeston mason.
Send the details and we will call.
Tell us what you are seeing at the property and Brian Lee Smith will get back to you to set up a look.
Mortar falling out of the joints?
Send Brian a close photo with a coin for scale.