Weather and time take a terrible toll on the exterior of any building. If the exterior of a building is brick there is a very good possibility that the mortar between the brick courses will begin to crumble and fall out. Tuckpointing contractors in Oak Park are masters at the age old art of replacing damaged or deteriorated mortar between bricks, stone or block.
When might it be necessary to tuckpoint?
When a brick wall is first erected it is anticipated that the mortar used will last a good number of years. A lot has to do with the mortar mix that was used in the first place, the age of the building and the building location. Generally speaking the brick surface on a home or other building should not require any particular maintenance for fifty years or more.
Tuckpointing may not last quite as long as the original mortar and there is a very good reason for this. When a brick wall is first built, the mortar joint is full depth; perhaps three to four inches. When new mortar is put in using the tuckpointing technique it is only about one inch deep, it only makes sense that the wider the mortar joint the longer it will last.
Factors that influence how long tuckpointing will last:
* Quality: Enough cannot be said about the importance of hiring highly skilled tuckpointing contractors in Oak Park. The difference in life expectancy between a job well done and a job done poorly can be decades. There is a right way and a wrong way to do this work, never settle for contractors that do not have an enviable track record doing tuckpointing.
* Type of mortar: The different compounds of color dye, adhesive, lime, sand and cement can make a difference in the quality, hence the life expectancy of the job.
Although tuckpointing is most often done when mortar joints have deteriorated it can also be done during restoration when the building is being cleaned. Tuckpointing will make an old wall look as good as the day it was originally built.
Tuckpointing is often necessary as a structure ages. If you notice the mortar between the bricks in your home beginning to fall out you should call skilled tuckpointing contractors in Oak Park. You are welcome to contact the pros at Fortune Restoration. And also follow us on Twitter.
