Tuckpointing in College Station TX - new joints that match your old brick
Mortar sitting back from the brick or crumbling out of the joints? We replace only the failed joints and match them to the rest.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Do your brick joints need tuckpointing?
Tuckpointing, which most masons also call repointing, means cutting worn mortar out of the joints between your bricks and packing in fresh mortar. In College Station, it's how we keep a brick wall tight and sound without disturbing the brick and joints that are still good. The word also covers an older finish, where a thin line of contrasting mortar makes the joints look very narrow.
Most people call us after they notice joints that look sunk in, or a little sand on the ground under a wall, and usually only some of the joints have actually failed. The price mostly depends on how many joints need cutting out, how soft the old brick is, since soft brick means slower hand work, and how high the work goes, because a chimney or a second story means scaffolding. The schedule depends on those same things and on what the city asks for before we start, and your written estimate spells out the work and the materials for your walls.
How can you tell your mortar joints are failing?
Joints sunk back from the brick
When the mortar sits well behind the face of the brick, the joint has stopped doing its job and water has more room to get in. If you catch it now, it's usually just a joint job. If you wait, the edges of the brick start to wear away with it.
Mortar that rubs out like sand
If you can scrape a joint with a key and it crumbles, the mortar has worn through and isn't holding much anymore. Left alone, crumbling joints open into gaps, and gaps let water get behind the brick.
Cracks through brick and mortar
A thin crack running along the joints means the mortar is failing. When the crack runs through the bricks too, something more is going on. I'd rather find out what's pushing on that wall than patch over it, because new mortar won't hold if the cause is still there.
How we do tuckpointing on your brick
I walk each wall first and mark the joints that have actually failed. Original mortar in good shape is better than anything we can put back, and repointing is slow, careful work you shouldn't pay for where it isn't needed. Our crew cuts out only those marked joints. Where the brick is soft, we take the old mortar out by hand, because power tools are faster but can chip the edges of the brick next to the joint. Then we clean out the joints, pack in new mortar mixed to match the old so the repair doesn't stick out, shape each joint to match the rest of the wall and clean the brick face when we're done.
If some bricks are cracked or broken, fresh joints around them won't fix the problem, so we handle those with brick repair on the same job when it makes sense. If you've been eyeing the front of the house as a whole, we also lay driveway pavers, and it's easy to look at both while I'm already out there.
Repointing just the failed joints
This suits most houses, where the trouble shows up in patches, like a chimney, a corner or one side of the house. It keeps as much of the original mortar as we can, and your cost covers only the joints that need the work.
Repointing a whole wall or chimney
This suits a wall where most of the joints are sunk in or crumbling, and fixing one joint at a time would leave more patches than wall. We still match the new mortar to the old look, so the wall reads as one piece when we're done.
Show us the worn joints, and I'll come look them over
We reply within one business day to set a time, and I come out to your home myself to look at your walls. The estimate is free, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
(979) 393-7020What to sort out with College Station before tuckpointing starts
The City of College Station says a building permit should be applied for, reviewed and issued before construction starts on a new structure, a remodel or a renovation. Contractors also have to register with the city before they can get one. Whether repointing on your house falls under that rule is the city's call. Its Building Division takes those questions at cspds@cstx.gov or 979.764.3570, and we check with them before we start. When the permit is ours to pull, we pull it and set up the inspections. If you'd rather pull it yourself, the city lets you do that without registering when the house is your own home and you live in it, and we'll tell you what the city will want to see.
On brick homes around College Station, we often find walls and chimneys that were patched before with mortar that doesn't match, so part of the job is picking out those old patches along with the worn joints. We see the same thing on jobs in Bryan and Navasota, and we handle them the same way.
What happens after you call about tuckpointing?
Call or send the form
Call (979) 393-7020 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. I look the walls over with you myself and talk through which joints I'd fix and which I'd leave alone.
Get a written estimate
You get a written estimate that spells out the work and the materials, so you can see what you'd be paying for before you decide. We sort out what the city asks for before anyone starts.
Crew works, we walk it together
Our own masons do the repointing, and I check the joints as they go. At the end, we walk every wall together and leave your yard clean.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my brick needs tuckpointing?
Your brick needs repointing when the mortar has worn back more than about a quarter inch from the face, is crumbling, or shows hairline cracks or holes. Bricks that are cracked along with the joints are another sign. If you're not sure, close-up photos of the joints are a good place to start, and I'm happy to come take a look.
How much does tuckpointing cost in College Station?
There's no fair number until someone sees your walls, so we price every tuckpointing job with a written estimate after I've looked at them at your home. The biggest factors are how many joints have failed, how soft the brick is and how high the work goes, since walls and chimneys taller than 8 feet need scaffolding. Call (979) 393-7020 and we'll set up a visit.
How long does new mortar last on a brick house?
Mortar usually lasts somewhere around 25 to 50 years, while the brick itself can last 100 years or more. That gap is the whole reason repointing exists. If your brick home has some age on it, keep an eye on the joints and plan for the work as the mortar gets older.
What kind of mortar should be used to repoint an older brick house?
Brick industry guidance says the new mortar should be no stronger than the mortar already in the wall. Harder mortar puts stress on older brick, and the brick faces start to flake and break off, which masons call spalling. If you own an older home, ask any mason how they plan to match the old mortar before you hire them.
What causes the white film on brick after tuckpointing?
That white bloom is called efflorescence, and it sometimes shows up within the first few months after repointing. It usually fades on its own through normal weathering.
How do I choose a mason for tuckpointing?
Ask about repointing experience specifically, because a mason who builds a fine new wall isn't always skilled at cutting out and matching old joints. The brick industry suggests asking about past repointing jobs, or having the mason show their work on an out-of-the-way patch of wall. It's also fair to ask which tools they'll use on your brick.
College Station, TX
Photograph your worn joints, then give us a call
Close-up photos of each wall and the chimney help me see where to start before I come out, so send them to service@collegestationconcreteandmasonry.com or through the form.