Repointing (Tuck-Pointing) Mortar Joints. A common
maintenance
task for brick masonry is the repair of mortar joints. The longevity
of mortar joints will vary with the exposure conditions and the
mortar materials used, but a lifespan of more than 45 years is
typical. The longevity of brick, however, may well exceed 100 years.
Consequently, occasional repair of the mortar joints is expected
over the life of the brick masonry. Here at Capital Restoration it is our
observation that the most common reason for repointing brick masonry
is to improve water penetration resistance. Repointing deteriorated
mortar joints is one of the most effective and permanent ways of
decreasing water entry into brickwork. This is because the most
common means of water entry into a brick masonry wall is through
unbonded, cracked or deteriorated mortar joints.
A critical step in the repointing operation is to
identify wall areas which require repointing. Original mortar joints
in good condition are preferred over repointed mortar joints.
Conditions which may require repointing include: (1) mortar erosion
more than 3/8", (2) crumbling mortar, (3) hairline cracks in the
mortar, and (4) cracks between the brick and mortar. At Capital
Restoration, we visually inspect your entire home free of charge to
determine repair needs.
Color Matching.
Brick layers have used mortar color for years to complement brickwork. We specialize in determining the closest shade possible to your colored mortar to give the best match possible of your original work. The first step toward achieving a consistent mortar color is using the same ingredients as the home or building was built with.Mortar Shade. Masonry and Portland cement are produced with different manufacturing processes offering a variety of shades from dark gray to white color tones. The cement color shade will have a direct and pronounced effect on the mortar color. Adding color to light gray cements will produce brighter and cleaner color shades. Conversely, utilizing dark gray cement will limit the ability to produce light color shades such as buff or pink. If a light pastel color is specified, more than likely white cement will be used to obtain the desired mortar color.
Color Pigments. A stable, high quality pigment is utilized to assure a long lasting mortar color shade. Color pigments with a proven history of longevity in masonry are made from natural and synthetic iron oxides (red, black and yellow), Blends of the red, black and yellow natural and synthetic iron oxides will produce buffs, browns, tans, coppers, oranges, chocolates and other colors needed to complement the vast colors found in brick, block and stone.
Exterior masonry mortars colored with carbon black have a history of losing color from the surface of the mortar joint within six months after installation. While carbon black itself is sun-fast, carbon black does not bond well to cement. It eventually disappears through weather exposure, resulting in a gradual loss of color on the surface area of the mortar joint.
Brick Replacement. Brick replacement involves carefully cutting out and actually replacing deteriorated bricks with full size matching or very closely-matching bricks.
We specialize in pointing and filling brick and mortar
cracks that occur due to settlement of foundations. We also restore
to its original condition brick walls, columns, chimneys,
fireplaces, fences, arches, etc. that have been damaged. When
completed, the damage is as close to undetectable as possible.