Has Your Chimney’s Mortar Seen Better Days? Schedule a Tuckpointing Service With Hudson Chimney

For as strong and durable as brick is, many homeowners don’t realize that it’s not as indestructible as we think it is. Both highly absorbent materials, brick and mortar can retain a significant amount of water that, along with time and other factors, can show signs of wear and tear. Bricks will begin to crack and flake, and the mortar that holds everything together will pull away and crumble, leaving gaping holes in your masonry – the perfect opportunity for water, bugs, small animals, and any other floating debris to enter your system and cause a significant amount of damage. Fortunately, though, there is a solution that does not involve completely tearing everything down. Enter: tuckpointing.

If you’ve noticed bits of mortar littering your roof and are now in search of a tuckpointing service from a brick mason near Jacksonville, FL, you’ve come to the right place. Hudson Chimney has a team of chimney professionals who have years of hands-on experience and a high level of industry knowledge, so you can rest assured that you’re in safe and capable hands. To learn more about tuckpointing or any of the other chimney and fireplace repair and maintenance services, give us a call at 904-282-4159, or reach out through our website by filling out this form.

Before Masonry Tuck Point Repair. Cracks in mortar of red brick chimney

What Is the Purpose of Tuckpointing?

Known by a few other names such as pointing, repointing, and spot pointing, this task is actually pretty straightforward – despite its funny monikers. This service actually receives its name from the way in which it is performed: chimney masons “tuck” mortar into the damaged areas between bricks, using “pointing” trowels to accomplish this. No matter what you call it, tuckpointing is an excellent solution for repairing deteriorating brick and mortar.

Put simply, the purpose of tuckpointing is to extend the life of your existing masonry. Brickwork is no good without the mortar that seals it together, and as such, a skilled tuck pointer will add many years to the life of your chimney because of the way they restore the bond and shut water out. Tuckpointing serves as a way to reinforce the entire structure so that it looks nice and performs efficiently. Sometimes also performed purely for cosmetic reasons, tuckpointing is a great and effective way to maintain the classic two-tone appearance of historical chimneys. In fact, some architecture styles actually rely entirely on tuckpointing techniques to build homes.

What Does a Chimney Tuck Pointer Do?

Tuckpointing is a fairly rare trade these days but still rather important. What makes tuckpointing an art is that it has to be done so that a chimney doesn’t look patched up but instead maintains a consistent style and color. So how does a chimney professional go about “patching up” brick and mortar without it looking, well…patched up? In order to accomplish this, the chimney professional must:

  • Use special tools to chip away and remove the old, crumbly, failing mortar
  • Mix a new batch of mortar that is formulated to match the original masonry’s texture, color, and overall composition
  • Apply mortar to open mortar joints and then “tool” it, smoothing out and compressing the seam for a uniform appearance
  • Use a mason brush to remove “flashings” next to mortar joint and blend new mortar area into old
  • Wash off excess mortar from brick faces and roof if needed

Not sure you fully understand the intricacies? No worries; that’s why the chimney pros at Hudson Chimney are here to take care of it for you. All you have to do is schedule a chimney tuckpointing appointment with us, and we’ll take care of the rest. Get started today by reaching out online, through our website, or by calling 904-282-4159.

Hudson Chimney Offers Tuckpointing Services To Homeowners in Jacksonville & Beyond

No matter what chimney or fireplace service you’re looking to cross off your list of “to dos,” when you choose Hudson Chimney, you know you are getting the experience, knowledge, and craftsmanship required to produce the high-quality work you expect and deserve. With our comprehensive chimney systems expertise, we guarantee all of our work and look forward to working on your home. We know you will be satisfied with the results.

Hudson Chimney is available to perform any needed chimney masonry repair work, including mortar crown building and firebox repair and rebuilding. Schedule an appointment with a certified Florida chimney sweep today to have your chimney and fireplace inspected. Please call Hudson Chimney at 904-282-4159.

 

Occasionally, the firebox, which is where the fire actually burns fuel, needs to be repaired or rebuilt. An inspection by the team at Hudson Chimney can determine if you should have this fireplace repair and get it done for you.