Restoring Brickwork through Tuck Pointing

Failingmortarjointsinbrickworkisanobvioussignofabuilding’scompromisedsafety andintegrity.Eventhoughbrickworkcanlastforcenturies,itdoesnotmeantheydonot undergodamage.OccasionalmaintenanceprogramsliketuckpointingNYCisessential toextendthelifespanofbrickstructures.

Asamatteroffact,tuckpointingisthemostcost-effectiveandeasiestwaytoreinstate strength and stability in masonry construction. Over the years, the harsh impact of fluctuating temperatures, moisture, oppressive climate, dirt, and molds cause considerable damage to brickwork. Apart from cracks, you will spot loose or missing bricks, crumbling mortar, etc. It indicates that the mortar between the joints does not havebondingcapabilities.

Thus, as a regular brick maintenance project, tuck pointing is crucial. We will take a glanceatwhytuckpointingisnecessaryandhowitisdone.

Tuck Pointing is Obligatory!

Tuckpointingistheprocessofremovingoldmortarandreplacingitwithnewmortar.It issimilartobrickpointing,onlyherethemortarcolorcloselymatchesthebrickcolor, andthenfillersorputtylinesareinstalled.Thefundamentalbenefitsoftuckpointingare:

• It preserves the structural integrity of a building by restoring strength and stability.

• Itrestrictsfurtherdamagetothestructure,ensuringenhanceddurability.

• Tuckpointingiseffectiveincontrollingmoistureinfiltrationtotheinteriors.

• Itimprovesinsulationandcurtailsenergyconsumption.

• Blacktuckpointingpromotesaestheticappealandincreasespropertyvalue.

• Itencouragesasaferandhealthierlivingcondition.

How is Tuck Pointing Done?

Though tuck pointing is a cost-effective building maintenance strategy, it is a highly labor-intensiveproject anddemandsextensivetechnicalknowledge and skills.Here is howtuckpointingisdone.

i. Site Preparation- Beforeprojectexecution,tuckpointingcompaniesensurethat the site is well protected and sealed so that there is no damage to surrounding areas,includingneighboringproperties.Itisalwaysbettertosetupbarriersand warningsignstoalertpassersby.

ii. Remove Mortar- After preparing the site, carefully remove mortar from the horizontalandverticaljointswithathickgrinderblade.Itmustbeperformedwith utmostcareandprecisiontoavoiddamagingthebricks.

iii. Clean Joints- Beforeapplyingfreshmortar,youmustensurethereisnodebris,as itwillnotaidproperbondingandadhesion.So,cleanthejointsthoroughlywitha wirebrushandvacuum.

iv. Prepare Mix- Mixingthemortarintheappropriateproportionisoneofthemost vitalsteps.Itsconsistencyshouldbesmoothandfreefrombubbles.

v. Fill Joints- Using a mortar gun, gradually fill the vertical joints, followed by the horizontal joints. As one of the basics of tuck pointing, compress the mortar properlysothatthereisnogap.

vi. Clean Excess Mortar- Finally,aftertheprocesscompletes,removeexcessmortar usingasoftbrushforaseamlessfinish.

Hence,tuckpointingisaprerequisitefortheoverallmaintenanceofabrickstructure.It cansaveyoufromcostlyrepairs.

Reference:- https://ezine-articles.com/restoring-brickwork-throughtuck-pointing/