Tuckpointing the chimney on your home in Tamarac
New joints are tooled to shed water and kept damp while the mortar cures.
- Owned and run locally
- Available for same-day service
- Fully licensed and insured
- Family owned and run
Signs the chimney joints need repointing
- Plants rooting in the mortar joints
- Joints on one face far worse than others
- Stepped cracks following the mortar lines
- Joint profile worn flat or recessed
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What good tuckpointing looks like
How mortar that is too hard harms brick
A hard cement-rich mortar can look like the durable choice. Federal preservation guidance describes the opposite result on softer brick. Moisture trapped behind dense joints pushes out through the brick faces, which then crack or pop off.
That damage cannot be repointed away, because it is in the brick itself. We avoid it by keeping the mix compatible with the units. If your chimney already shows faces breaking beside hard, bright joints from an earlier repair, we point it out and explain what it means.
Matching the existing joint profile
Brick industry maintenance guidance says the last layer of repointing mortar should be tooled to match the original profile. A chimney repointed with a different joint shape can look patched even when the color is right.
We look for places where the original profile survives, often in sheltered spots near the crown overhang or at the roofline. We then choose a jointer that reproduces it. If the original profile is one that holds water, we raise that before matching it, so you can decide with the facts.
Waiting before cleaning new mortar
Newly repointed brick should not be scrubbed or treated with cleaners straight away. Federal preservation guidance explains that new joints need time to harden fully and that acids should never go on dry masonry. Harsh cleaning can etch fresh mortar and stain the brick.
If the chimney also needs cleaning, we explain the right order and timing. Usually any heavier cleaning waits until the mortar has hardened, and it starts with plain water and soft brushes. We tell you what to avoid while the new mortar hardens.
When loose brick means more than repointing
Repointing assumes the bricks are staying where they are. If sections of the chimney are loose, bulging or leaning, packing new mortar around them does not make them sound. Those are structural questions.
We explain when a chimney needs a wider assessment or partial rebuilding before joint work makes sense. A rebuild, if needed, is described and priced as its own job. Repointing the rest of the chimney can then be planned around it, so the two repairs work together.
What the free joint inspection covers
- Water source notes before joint work
- Head joints cleared by hand
- Dust control and covers during raking
- Cleanup and haul-away of old mortar
Questions to ask before repointing
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.
Do you match the new mortar to the brick or the old mortar?
Both matter. The mortar should suit the brick, which means softer and more permeable than the units and no harder than the original mix. Its color and texture are matched to the existing joints so the repair blends in.
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