Tuckpointing in Encinitas CA - Solid joints that match your wall and protect the brick
Crumbling, gappy or cracked mortar between your bricks? We rake out the worn joints and refill them with mortar that suits your wall.
What tuckpointing does for your wall
Tuckpointing, also called repointing, means raking the worn-out mortar from the joints of a brick or stone wall and packing in new. Most people call me when the joints start crumbling or opening up, and I look for why before we cut anything. If bricks are cracked too, that's brick repair, and we can do both together.
The price moves with how much wall needs new joints and how hard it is to reach. The schedule turns on whether the city wants a permit and on the weather. Your written estimate gives you the figure for your wall.
What our tuckpointing covers
Good tuckpointing is more than smearing new mortar over old, so here's what the job covers from the first look to the last joint.
Joint survey
We go over each wall face and mark which joints are failing, so sound mortar stays where it is and only the failing joints get cut out.
Raking out
We cut the old mortar back to an even depth without chipping the brick edges, because new mortar needs a clean, sound joint to grip.
Matched mortar
We mix the new mortar to match the color and texture of your old joints, choosing sand and lime or cement for your brick rather than a one-size bag.
Packing and cleanup
We pack the joints in layers and shape the face to match the rest of the wall, then clean the smears off the brick before they harden.
Tell us about your wall
Send photos of the worn joints and your house's age, or call. We reply within one business day, and the on-site estimate is free with no pressure to book.
(760) 230-9799How we run a tuckpointing job
I'd rather find out why the mortar failed than just fill the gaps, so every tuckpointing job starts with a look at the cause and a plan you understand.
- Our own crew, with me there. Our own crew does the repointing with me running the site, so the person who looked at your wall is there while it's done.
- In business since 2017. I learned masonry under an experienced mason, started this business in 2017, and we're best known for careful repair on older brick and stone.
- A test patch first. We lay a small test patch of new mortar somewhere out of sight, so you see the color before we do the whole wall.
- Fully licensed and insured. We're fully licensed and insured, and California's licensing board defines masonry as installing concrete units, baked clay products, block, and natural and manufactured stone.
- Show me the rest while I'm there. If you're also thinking about driveway pavers or other work, point it out on my visit and I'll look at that too.
Serving Encinitas and nearby cities
Advanced Encinitas Concrete and Masonry is based in Encinitas and works across the cities around it, from San Clemente down to Chula Vista. Don't see your city? Call (760) 230-9799 and ask.
From first call to finish
I want you to know what we're doing and why before we start, so I'm the one you hear from at the look, the estimate and the final walk-through.
Visit
After you call or write, I come out and look at the wall myself. I check how far the mortar has worn back and whether any bricks are damaged, and I tell you straight what I think caused it.
Estimate
I put what I found and the price in a written estimate you can look over. Once you say go, we check with the city's building office and handle the permit application ourselves when the job needs one.
Work
Then our crew gets to work. If anything changes once the joints are open, we put it in writing, as California's home improvement contract rules require, and when it's done I walk the finished wall with you.
Tuckpointing questions from Encinitas homeowners
How do I know if my brick mortar needs repointing?
It needs repointing when the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the brick face, crumbles, has gaps, or shows hairline cracks or cracks along the bricks. You can check your own walls for these signs before you call, and a few photos of what you find help at the estimate.
Why does the mortar mix matter when repointing brick?
The new mortar has to be weaker than the brick, because mortar that's stronger than the brick makes the brick faces flake off. That makes the mix a fair question to ask any contractor before work starts, and I'll tell you which one I'd use on your wall and why.
How long does tuckpointing last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, so repointing is a long-term repair for your walls rather than routine upkeep. If joints fail well before that, something is usually behind it, and finding that cause is the first thing I do.
Do I need a city permit to repoint a brick wall in Encinitas?
Usually, yes, because the City of Encinitas requires a building permit to repair, alter, remove or replace walls. A project that's exempt from that can still need a planning, engineering or fire permit. We check before work starts, and you can reach the city's Building office at 760-633-2730.
How much does tuckpointing cost in Encinitas?
There's no set price for tuckpointing, because every wall is different, and I'd rather give you a written figure after I've seen yours. Redoing only the failing sections costs less than a whole wall, and a chimney or second story that needs scaffolding costs more than a wall you can reach from the ground.
Should I use lime mortar to repoint an older home in Encinitas?
It's worth asking about, because lime mortar is soft, porous and changes little in size as temperatures change, which makes it a good choice for historic buildings. Encinitas has many historic buildings, but the city says few have been documented, so I go by what's in your joints now rather than a record.
Plan the work on your Encinitas home
Call (760) 230-9799 or use the form, tell me when the house was built, and we'll set a time to come look.