What do you do if there are cracks in the mortar between your bricks? Or, what if parts of the mortar have been partially washed out by rain or snow? That area of your masonry wall needs to be tuck-pointed.
Let’s talk about the process of tuck-pointing. It is not enough to slop some mismatched mortar into the crack in your brick wall.
Once the area that needs repair is identified, a professional mason needs to carefully remove the mortar between the brickwork to a depth of ¾ to 1 inch. Then, well-matched mortar is formulated to replace the old mortar. Many factors contribute to matching mortar, including the age of the existing mortar, the mortar type and mix, the aggregate used, the base color of the cement, and the tints used to acquire a match. This process can take years to learn and is not easily mastered.
After formulating an accurate match, the mortar joints are carefully and cleanly filled using special equipment. Once the mortar is replaced, it’s then necessary to tool the joints so that they match the rest of the structure. Tooling can take many forms including, concaved joints, flat joints, cut joints, and joints aged with exposed aggregate. When the tuck-pointing is done correctly, it matches the original work so closely that it’s not possible to tell where the repair occurred.
It is risky to trust just anyone to tuck-point your home or masonry structure. Denver Masonry LLC offers the highest quality tuck-pointing available and it’s performed by experienced professionals.