Tuckpointing in Bonita Springs FL - brick joints done right the first time
Mortar crumbling or cracking out of the joints? We cut it out, mostly by hand, and repack them so the wall stays tight.
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What does tuckpointing fix on a brick wall?
Tuckpointing, also called repointing, means cutting the worn mortar out of the joints in a brick wall and filling them with fresh mortar while the bricks stay in place. In Bonita Springs we do it to close up joints that have crumbled or cracked, so water stays out and the brick doesn't have to come down.
Most people call me after they notice sandy mortar at the foot of a wall, gaps opening between bricks or cracks running along the joints. The price moves with how much of the wall needs cutting out, how deep the wear goes, how hard the wall is to reach and how closely the new mortar has to match the old. The schedule turns on that same size question, plus anything that has to happen first, like a permit or a leaking downspout. My written estimate gives you the figure for your wall.
How we do tuckpointing
First I walk the wall with you and mark the joints that are actually worn, because sound mortar doesn't need cutting out. If a downspout or drain has been washing mortar away, that gets fixed first, or the new joints wash out the same way. Then we cut the old mortar back to a clean, square depth, mostly by hand, because a grinder is faster but it's easy to nick brick edges and a chipped edge stays chipped. Our crew wears eye protection and respirators for the dust and covers what sits near the wall. We brush and dampen the joints, pack the new mortar in layers and tool it to match the joints around it. I'll show you a finished patch before we do the whole wall, so you see exactly what you're paying for.
Some walls need more than new joints. Cracked or loose bricks get swapped out as brick repair before we point around them, since fresh mortar won't save a brick that's already failing. If the paver drive along that side of the house has sunk or shifted, I can look at your driveway pavers on the same visit.
What tuckpointing in Bonita Springs needs before work starts
The city's Building Department requires every contractor who pulls building permits in Bonita Springs to register with it first. Whether your tuckpointing job needs a permit isn't something I'll guess at, so we check with the city or county office for your address, file it ourselves if it does, keep you posted and start once the permit is in hand. If your house is a historic property, changes to it go to the city's Historic Preservation Board first for its approval, called a certificate of appropriateness. If Milton, Helene or Debby damaged the house, the city asks you to contact the floodplain manager or the building and permitting departments before any repairs begin, so tell me about storm damage at the estimate and we'll plan the job around it.
We're based in Bonita Springs and work the cities around it, north into Lee County and south into Collier County. We see the same worn joints on garden walls, planters and brick fronts on jobs in Estero and Naples, and we handle them the same way.
Tuckpointing and brick joint work
Get a written tuckpointing estimate for your wall
We reply within one business day to set a time, and I come out myself to look at the joints. The estimate is free, done on site, written down and comes with no obligation.
(239) 256-7568Tuckpointing questions from Bonita Springs homeowners
How do I know my brick wall needs tuckpointing?
A wall needs it when the mortar has worn back more than about 1/4 inch from the brick face, or when it's crumbling, has holes in it, shows hairline cracks or has pulled away from the brick. Run a key along a few joints, and if mortar falls out, take a photo and send it with your request.
How long does repointed mortar last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the brick itself can go well past 100, so most brick walls need their joints redone now and then over their life. Repointing worn joints is one of the most effective ways to keep water out of brickwork for the long haul.
What kind of mortar should be used for tuckpointing?
Federal building guidance says the new mortar should be softer than both the brick and the wall's original mortar. Mortar that's too hard can stress the wall as it heats and cools, and then the brick breaks down instead of the joint. Ask any contractor which mortar they plan to use and how it compares with yours, and I'll tell you mine at the estimate.
Can surface grouting replace repointing?
No, the National Park Service says surface grouting, a thin coat of cement grout spread over the joints, can't stand in for repointing. It also makes the joints look wider and leaves residue on the brick face, so if it's offered as the cheaper fix, I'd pass.
What is the best way to pick a contractor for tuckpointing in Bonita Springs?
Look at their past repointing jobs or have them do a small section on a hidden part of the wall first, because the Brick Industry Association notes that a great bricklayer isn't always skilled at repointing. In Florida, a state certified contractor can work anywhere in the state, while a registered one can only work where they hold a local certificate of competency.
How much does tuckpointing cost in Bonita Springs?
Your cost comes mostly from the square footage of joints that need cutting out, and deeper wear or a tall wall that needs staging pushes it up. Swapping out broken bricks or fixing a drainage problem first adds to it, while spot work on a few patches keeps it down. The written estimate gives you the number for your wall before anything starts.
Get your Bonita Springs brick wall repointed
Open joints keep wearing until they're packed again, so the sooner I look at your wall, the less of it there usually is to redo.