Chimney repointing and mortar repair across Margate
Chimney tuckpointing in Margate begins with a free inspection of every face of the stack.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Joint trouble you can spot from the yard
- Sandy grit at the base of the chimney
- Hairline cracks running along the joints
- Small holes and voids in the joints
- Plants rooting in the mortar joints
Jump to
Joint repair that protects the brick
Keeping the new mortar no stronger than the old
There is a second limit worth knowing. The brick industry's maintenance guidance says repointing mortar should be equal to or lower in strength than the original mortar in the wall. A stronger mix concentrates stress where mortar meets brick and can spall the brick face.
We look at the existing mortar, its hardness and how it has weathered before choosing the repair mix. Where the original is unusually soft, the new mortar has to respect that. We explain the choice in plain words and record it in the written record of the work.
When a mortar analysis may help
For some chimneys, the original mortar is unusual enough that a laboratory analysis is worth considering. Brick industry and federal preservation guidance both describe testing hardened mortar to identify its ingredients and sand.
Federal preservation guidance treats it as useful rather than essential. Brick industry guidance recommends testing when the original mortar type is unknown. If your chimney has special significance or an unusual mortar, ask about analysis during the inspection. We explain what it could add and what it cannot tell you.
Joints on the stack above the roofline
Above the roofline, a chimney stands in the open with no wall or eave to shelter any face. Brick industry maintenance guidance notes that chimneys, caps and copings face harsher exposure than ordinary walls. Their joints can need attention sooner as a result.
When we inspect, the stack above the roof gets the closest look. Joints there can fail while those lower on the chimney are still sound. We explain whether the repointing should focus on that section and price it separately from any work lower down.
Joints at the roof line and the flashing
Where the chimney meets the roof, counter flashing is often set into a mortar joint. If that joint has failed, water can get behind the flashing. If the flashing itself is loose, water can reach the joints and brick below.
We look at both when the roof-line joints are in poor shape. Repointing covers the mortar. Re-forming or resetting the flashing is flashing work with its own line on the estimate. We explain how the two relate, so neither is fixed in a way that damages the other.
Your chimney mortar repair scope in writing
- Joint survey on every chimney face
- Tooling at thumbprint hardness
- Separate line for damaged brick units
- Mortar strength kept below the brick
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.
Can you repoint a chimney that has stucco over the brick?
Stucco hides the joints, so there is nothing to repoint from outside. Cracked or loose stucco belongs to stucco repair. If bare brick shows above the roofline, we can assess those joints as a separate area.
Can repointing be done safely on a hot day?
Yes, with care. Mortar that dries too fast bonds poorly, so we keep joints damp and shaded and may start earlier in the day. We plan around the conditions rather than rushing mortar onto a hot wall.
We received your request
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