Tuckpointing in Hilo HI - Solid new mortar joints matched to your brick
Mortar crumbling or washing out of your brick joints? We find out why, then refill the joints with mortar made to suit your brick.
- Service
- Tuckpointing
- Call
- (808) 229-1042
How can you tell your mortar joints are failing?
Mortar sunk behind the brick
If the mortar has sunk back far enough that the brick edges stick out, it has been wearing away a little every year. Left alone, the gaps get deeper and let more water into the wall, so there's more to dig out and refill later.
Crumbling mortar or open gaps
Mortar that turns to sand when you rub it, has holes where pieces fell out, or shows thin cracks along the brick edges has lost its grip. Those openings hold water against the brick, and every year you wait there's more joint to cut out.
Stair-step cracks or loose bricks
Cracks that climb the wall like stairs, bricks that rock, or brick faces flaking off usually mean the trouble has gone past the mortar. New joints won't fix that, and putting off the brick work lets the damage spread to the bricks around it.
What does tuckpointing a brick wall in Hilo involve?
Tuckpointing in Hilo, also called repointing, means clearing the worn and cracked mortar out of the joints between your bricks and packing in fresh mortar so the wall is sound again. It fixes the joints, not the bricks, so the first job is making sure the joints are where the trouble is.
Most people call when they notice mortar dusting out of a wall or sitting back from the brick face. The price turns on how tall the wall is, how much of the mortar has failed, what shape the brick is in and how easy the wall is to reach, and the schedule turns on the same things, plus any brick that has to be fixed before the joints. I measure all of that at your property and put the scope in writing, so you see your own number. If your wall is block or stone instead of brick, tell us that when you ask, and describe what you're seeing.
Details to note before an estimate
- Rough wall size in square feet
- Wall height and how it's reached
- Cracked, loose or flaking bricks
- Spots where water seems to get in
- What the wall is built from
How we do tuckpointing in Hilo
People use the word tuckpointing in two ways, so we start by agreeing which one your quote covers. Most of the time it means repointing the joints, but it's also the name of an older decorative style where a thin line of contrasting mortar makes the joints look very fine. Then I check whether the trouble stays in the joints or the brick needs work too, because repointing only holds when the damage is in the mortar, and leaks, stair-step cracks, loose or cracked bricks and flaking faces mean the brick needs repairs as well. Whatever let the water in gets found and fixed first, since new mortar won't last long if the water that ruined the old mortar is still getting in. After that our crew cuts out the failed mortar, packs the joints full, shapes them to match the old joints and cleans the wall down.
If my check turns up cracked, loose or flaking bricks, we take care of them as brick repair as part of the same job, so the new joints aren't set against brick that's still failing. We also lay driveway pavers if the drive in front of the wall is due for replacing.
Work that often goes with tuckpointing
Brick repair
When bricks are cracked, loose or flaking, fresh mortar alone won't last, so we replace or reset those bricks before the joints get filled.
Driveway pavers
If your driveway is cracked, sunken or worn out, a paver drive on a packed base can be fixed one paver at a time.
What happens when you call us about tuckpointing in Hilo?
Call or send the form
Tell us where the wall is and what you're seeing, and we set a time for me to come out. Photos of the worn joints help me see the job before I get there.
I look the wall over
I measure the wall, check how it's reached and work out why the mortar failed before I put a price on anything. You get a written estimate that lays out the scope, including any brick that needs fixing, so you know what the price covers.
Our crew repoints the wall
Our own crew does the work the way the estimate is written, and I run it on site. Repointing is slow, careful and noisy work, and taller walls may have scaffolding up for a while.
We walk it together
I walk the wall with you before we call it done, so you can see every joint we touched. A white bloom sometimes shows on new work in the first few months and usually weathers away on its own.
What people ask about tuckpointing
How do I know if my brick wall needs tuckpointing?
Your wall needs it when the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the brick face, crumbles, has holes, or shows hairline cracks in the joints or between the brick and the mortar. You can walk the wall and look for these before you ask for a quote. If you also see cracked or loose bricks, mention them, because that changes the job.
How much does tuckpointing cost in Hilo?
Across the US, tuckpointing usually costs about $5 to $25 per square foot of wall, and that's the market's range, not our price. Where your wall lands in it comes down to the height, damage, brick and access I check on site, and your written estimate puts your own number on it. The work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
How long does new mortar last after tuckpointing?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on how exposed the wall is and what mortar was used, while the brick itself may well last more than 100 years. The joints wear out long before the brick does, so repointing is upkeep a brick wall needs from time to time, not a sign the wall is finished.
What kind of mortar should be used for tuckpointing old brick?
New mortar should be weaker than the brick, so the brick is protected. Mortar that's stronger than the brick can make the faces of the bricks flake off, so ask any mason how they'd match the mortar to your brick, and I'll go over that with you at the estimate.
How do I choose a mason for tuckpointing in Hilo?
Ask to see repointing jobs they've done, because a skilled bricklayer isn't always skilled at repointing, and ask them to show their work on a less visible part of your wall. Make sure their state contractor license is current, since a license that wasn't renewed by its expiration date counts as unlicensed. We're licensed and insured, and I'm glad to answer those questions on site.
Are there grants for repairing old brick buildings in downtown Hilo?
Yes, the Hilo Preservation Program gives grants for the preservation, restoration and beautification of historically significant buildings in Hilo's core downtown area. If your building earns income and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the state's Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program offers a 20% income tax credit for rehabilitating it, and the state historic preservation office is the first place to contact. We're based in Hilo and work across the city, Hawaiian Paradise Park and the cities around them.
Get a written tuckpointing estimate for your wall
We reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, measure the wall, look at what's causing the trouble and put the scope in writing. The estimate is free and done in person at your property, and there's no pressure to book.
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Send us photos of your worn joints
A few photos and the wall's rough size let me plan the visit, so call (808) 229-1042 or use the form.