Tuckpointing in Palm Beach Gardens FL - joints that keep water out of your brick
Mortar crumbling, cracked or worn back from the brick? We cut it out and refill the joints so your wall sheds water again.
- Service
- Tuckpointing
- Call
- (561) 268-0530
How can you tell your mortar needs tuckpointing?
Mortar sunk behind the brick
The mortar sits back from the brick face instead of flush with it, which usually means years of rain have worn it down. The longer it goes, the more water collects in those joints and soaks into the wall.
Joints that crumble or powder
If you can rub mortar out with a finger or a key, it has lost its grip and isn't holding the bricks tight anymore. Left alone, it keeps falling out and leaves open holes for water to run straight in.
Cracks between brick and mortar
Thin cracks along the edge of a brick or across a joint usually mean the mortar has shrunk or pulled away. Water finds those cracks first, and the repair gets bigger once the bricks themselves start to suffer.
What does tuckpointing involve on a brick house?
Tuckpointing, which most masons also call repointing, means cutting the worn mortar out of the joints in a brick wall and packing fresh mortar back in. For a house in Palm Beach Gardens, it's one of the most effective and lasting ways to keep water out of your brickwork, because the brick is only as tight as the joints between it.
Most folks call me because the mortar looks tired, not because anything's leaking yet, and honestly that's the best time to call. What moves the price is how much wall we're pointing, how deep the joints are worn, how high we have to work, whether any bricks need replacing and which joint style you pick. The schedule mostly turns on the size of the wall and whether any paperwork has to clear before we start. Once I've seen your wall, the written estimate puts your own figure and the plan on paper.
Details to note before an estimate
- Rough wall size in square feet
- Which walls of the house to include
- Spots where joints crumble or crack
- Any cracked or flaking bricks
How we handle tuckpointing on your house
I start by looking for why the joints failed, like a gutter spilling down the wall, because fresh mortar under the same problem just wears out again. Then I'll ask whether you want a plain repointed joint or the older look, where the joints are colored to match the brick and a thin line of contrasting mortar runs down the middle, since some people still mean that style when they say tuckpointing. On most walls our crew cuts the old mortar out by hand, so the brick around each joint doesn't get chewed up the way it can with a grinder. I came to the trowel late, after years behind a supply counter, and I'll admit I'm stubborn about doing this part the slow way. After that we clean out the joints, pack in fresh mortar, tool it to the finish you picked and clean the face of the wall.
Sometimes the joints are only half the story. If bricks have cracked through or their faces have flaked off, we take care of the brick repair first so the wall is sound before we point it. And once the house looks right again, plenty of people start eyeing the front of the property, which is where our driveway pavers work comes in.
Other work that often goes with repointing
Brick repair
A cracked or flaking brick won't hold new mortar around it, so we cut it out and set a sound one before pointing.
Driveway pavers
If a tired concrete driveway now looks out of place next to freshly pointed brick, a paver driveway can tie the front of the house together.
What happens after you call about tuckpointing in Palm Beach Gardens?
Call us or send a message
Call (561) 268-0530 or use the form, and we'll set up a time to look at the wall together. If you can, tell us which walls are bothering you so I know where to start.
I look the wall over
I come out myself, walk the wall with you and check how deep the mortar has gone and whether any brick needs replacing. You get a written estimate that lays out the walls, the joint style and any brick work, so you know exactly what the number covers.
We do the work together
If the job needs a permit we pull it and set up the inspections, then our lead mason, the crew and I cut out the old joints, repoint and clean up. We finish by walking the wall with you so you can see every joint before we call it done.
What people ask about tuckpointing
How much does tuckpointing cost in Palm Beach Gardens?
Across the US, tuckpointing usually costs about $5 to $25 per square foot of wall, and that's the general market range, not our price. Where your wall lands depends on how deep the joints are worn, how high the work is, whether bricks need replacing and which joint style you pick. I'll measure your wall on site and put your number in writing, and it's satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
How do I know my brick mortar needs repointing?
Your mortar needs repointing when it has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the brick face, crumbles, has holes or voids, or shows hairline cracks or gaps between the brick and the mortar. Any one of those is a good reason to call. Snap a few photos and send them over, and I'll tell you what I think.
How long does new mortar last on a brick house?
Mortar lasts roughly 25 to 50 years, while the brick around it lasts approximately 100 years or more. That means repointing is upkeep that comes back around over a house's life, not a one-time repair. Keeping the joints sound is what protects the brick, which is the part that's much harder to replace.
What is the best way to choose mortar for repointing old brick?
The new mortar should be weaker than your brick, because mortar that's stronger than the brick makes the brick faces spall and flake off. Ask any contractor what mortar they plan to use and how it compares with your brick. Sand color and cement type also change the color of new mortar, so a test sample in a hidden spot is advised, and you can ask to see it before the whole wall gets done.
Do I need a permit for tuckpointing in Palm Beach Gardens?
Ask the City of Palm Beach Gardens Building Division, which handles residential exterior modification permits, about your job. The city requires a Notice of Commencement for projects valued over $5,000, and an approval letter from your HOA when the plan reviewer asks for one. When a job needs a permit, we pull it with the office that covers your address and set up the inspections.
How can I check a masonry contractor in Palm Beach County?
Palm Beach County requires its contractors to be certified and insured, and the county's contractor lookup confirms county certification or a Florida license. In Florida, a certified license allows work anywhere in the state, while a registered license covers only the cities or counties where the contractor holds a certificate of competency. We're licensed and insured, based in Palm Beach Gardens and working in a lot of the cities around it in Palm Beach County and up into Martin County.
Get a written tuckpointing estimate for your wall
We respond within one business day to set up a time, then I come out, look your wall over with you and send a free written estimate. There's no obligation, so you can take the number, compare it and decide on your own time.
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Send us photos of your mortar joints
Have a few close-up photos of the worn joints and a rough wall size in square feet ready when you call (561) 268-0530 or fill in the form, and I can give you a straight first read before I come out.