- Point
- To place plastic mortar into joints to correct defects or to completely
fill joints in newly laid masonry.
- Re-point
- To place plastic mortar into cut or raked joints to correct defective
mortar joints in masonry.
- Tuck-point
- (a) To point masonry with a flush mortar joint that approximates the
color of the masonry units and a mortar of contrasting color that is
shaped into a thin strip. (b) see re-point.
Why Re-Point?
A common maintenance
task for brick masonry is 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 25 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. It is our
observation that the most common reason for re-pointing brick masonry is to
improve water penetration resistance. Re-pointing 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 de-bonded, cracked or deteriorated mortar joints.
Finding a Good Re-Pointer
An important step
toward a successful re-pointing job is to secure a qualified and experienced re-pointing
craftsman. An individual who is an excellent mason/bricklayer may not be a good
re-pointer. Re-Pointing includes (1) cutting out the mortar joints to the proper depth and profile
with minimal damage to adjacent brick units (2) proper preparation of the
mortar for re-pointing, (3) proper placement of mortar by layering, compacting
and tooling, and (4) accurate color matching to adjacent, original mortar
joints. Cleanliness of the re-pointing operation is also important, so that
extensive cleaning of the finished wall is not necessary.
What to Re-Point
A critical step in
the re-pointing operation is to identify wall areas which require re-pointing.
This step is critical because only defective joints require repair, re-pointing
is very labor-intensive work, and original mortar joints in good condition are
preferred over re-pointed mortar joints. Conditions which may require re-pointing
include: (1) mortar erosion more than 6 mm, (2) crumbling mortar, (3) hairline
cracks in the mortar, and (4) cracks between the brick and mortar. Visual
observation in combination with light scraping with a metal tool can detect
cracked, spalled and crumbly mortar joints. This is the most common means of
determining areas to be re-pointed. On older buildings, "cleaning" by
low or moderate pressure water wash (not grit or chemical wash) may be required
to evaluate the condition of mortar joints. (It must be emphasized that, in this case, the
purpose of cleaning is not to get a new looking building, but to detect structural damage in the brickwork.)
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