Our Process
How chimney joints are repointed in Lake Mary
What chimney tuckpointing replaces
Homeowners tend to say tuckpointing and masons say repointing. The Brick Industry Association's maintenance guidance describes the job as cutting damaged or deteriorated mortar back to an even depth and filling each joint with new mortar. The brick stays where it is, and only the mortar between the units is renewed.
That distinction matters when you compare quotes. A thin smear of mortar over the old joints, or a coating brushed across the whole chimney, is a different job with a different result. On a chimney in Lake Mary our specialists write down the method, the depth and the area of joints included, so you can see what the price buys.
When the brick itself has failed
Repointing renews mortar. It does not repair a brick whose face has flaked away or cracked through. Technical Note 46 treats replacement of heavily spalled or broken brick as a separate procedure, with the damaged units cut out and new brick set in fully buttered mortar joints.
On many chimneys both repairs are needed side by side. Our estimate lists joint repointing and brick replacement as separate lines, with the number of bricks and the joint area described, so you can see what each part of the work covers and why it is included.
Repointing before a water repellent
Clear-coating guidance from the Brick Industry Association lists repointing of incompletely filled, cracked or disintegrated joints among the repairs to finish before any water repellent is applied, because a coating cannot seal an open joint. The data sheet for one chimney water repellent asks for at least 72 hours after repairs or tuckpointing before application.
If you plan to waterproof your Lake Mary chimney, repointing comes first in the schedule, and the two jobs are priced as separate lines. The same BIA guidance notes that repairs often correct a moisture problem on their own, so we are glad to wait and see before treating the brick.
Weather and curing for new chimney joints
Heat and sun change how fresh mortar sets. The Park Service brief notes that wall temperatures between 40 and 95 degrees F prevent freezing or excessive evaporation of the water in the mortar, and it recommends working in shade, away from strong sunlight, to slow drying in hot weather.
For high-lime mortars the brief also describes light misting for a day or two after tooling so the joints do not dry out too fast. Our crew plans the work on your chimney around sun, heat and rain, and we tell you what care, if any, the new joints need once we leave.
