Tuckpointing Stone Wall Repair

Learn how to repoint stone masonry like a pro.

Tuckpointing stone wall repair.

But you can pick away at it in your free time area by area. Older mortar made with lime and sand gives way rather nicely with a hammer and chisel. Tuck pointing a stone foundation wall is a job that requires time patience and a few specialty tools. The name comes from the action of tucking or packing mortar into the damaged joint with a tool called a tuck pointer mortar joints play a critical role in the structural integrity of a brick wall.

Newer mortar made of portland cement often has to be ground out with power tools. Then lightly mist the mortar with water and use a soft bristle brush to smooth the mortar flush against each stone. There are many practitioners of this craft but probably few as affable and knowledgeable as ian cramb a scotsman now living in eastern pennsylvania. After filling all the joints let the mortar set up for about an hour.

Tuckpointing isn t difficult or expensive the only real investment is your time. Eddie greer of better home inspection and improvements llc. This of course costs more money to repair than it does to tuckpoint the mortar joints in the first place as mentioned earlier in point number 4 above. Professional tuckpointing usually runs around 9 to 15 per square foot depending on the height of the wall and the standard rate for mason services in your area.

To replace large stones that have fallen from the wall lay down a thick bed of mortar and set the stone in place. The only way to repair the situation at this point is to tear down the brick and stone masonry wall and relay the whole thing again. Courtesy of the national park service. Demonstrates how to do some brick and mortar repairs aka tuck pointing on your home.

Pack more mortar around the stone. Tuckpointing won t fix cracking or crumbling bricks or cracks in walls caused by a shifting foundation. Tuckpointing is the process of repairing or refilling mortar joints in brick. The type of mortar used to repair the crumbling joints is the most important factor.

Well that s it tuckpointing in a nutshell. We determine this by what type of stone the wall is made of and the condition the stone is in. Repairing old stone walls is an art as well as a practical skill. Repointing an old brick wall with soft lime mortar.

We take out the crumbling rotting mortar and put new in.