Chimney mortar joints repointed in Lauderdale Beach
You see which joints need work and which are still sound before approving anything.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Signs the chimney joints need repointing
- Earlier repointing popping out in strips
- Joints on one face far worse than others
- Loose brick where joints have washed out
- Joint profile worn flat or recessed
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What good tuckpointing looks like
Tooling joints when the mortar is thumbprint hard
The final layer of mortar is tooled once it reaches what brick industry guidance calls thumbprint hardness. A thumb pressed into it leaves a print without mortar sticking to the skin. Tooling at that stage compacts the surface and seals it against the brick.
Tooling too soon drags wet mortar across the brick face. Tooling too late leaves the surface poorly consolidated. We work along the chimney in sections so each area is tooled at the right time, which also helps the joints dry to an even color.
How tooling time changes the joint color
Timing affects appearance as well as performance. Brick industry guidance notes that joints tooled early tend to dry lighter and joints tooled late tend to dry darker. Federal preservation guidance describes dark streaks when mortar is tooled too hard.
On a chimney face repointed in sections, those differences show as bands. We pace the work so each section reaches the same stage before tooling. If the weather changes during the day, we adjust the pace rather than tool mortar that is not ready.
Recessing joints where brick edges are worn
Weathered brick often has rounded edges. Federal preservation guidance suggests setting the new mortar slightly back from the face in that case. Filling flush to a rounded edge makes the joints look wider and leaves a thin feather of mortar that breaks easily.
We look at the brick edges before choosing how full to fill the joints. On worn brick, a slightly recessed joint looks truer to the original and lasts better at its edge. We explain this choice on the estimate, because it changes how the finished chimney looks.
Looking at chimney joints from the ground
You can check the joints without climbing. Brick industry maintenance guidance suggests binoculars for looking at masonry high on a building. From the yard, look for joints that sit deep behind the brick face, dark lines of missing mortar or plants growing from the chimney.
Note which side looks worst and tell us when you call. Stay off the roof. A closer look is part of our free inspection, and the view from the ground is enough to help us plan where to begin.
Your chimney mortar repair scope in writing
- Sample area where the finish matters
- Brushing off excess mortar
- Dust control and covers during raking
- Cover over any opening left at the top
Answers about chimney repointing
Will the new mortar match the color of the old joints?
We aim for a close match by choosing the sand and, where needed, a pigment, then comparing samples wet and dry against the existing joints. New mortar often looks brighter at first and settles as it weathers.
Will you repoint the joints inside my firebox as well?
Firebox joints use refractory mortar and belong to firebox repair, a separate service. Chimney tuckpointing covers the exterior masonry. If both need work, each is priced on its own line so you can decide.
Why did earlier repointing fall out of the joints?
Shallow preparation is a frequent reason. When old mortar is not raked deep enough, a thin skin of new mortar has little to grip. A mix that is too hard, or water still entering the wall, can also cause it.
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Our team will contact you to arrange your inspection.
Chimney & Fireplace Brands We Work With
DuraVent 
Olympia Chimney and Venting 
Copperfield Chimney Supply 
Rutland 
Heatilator 
Heat & Glo