MASONRY PROBLEMS AND REPAIR
Moisture creeping into bricks and the mortar that bonds the chimney together is the main reason for masonry failure. The penetrating moisture not only weakens the mortar that bonds the masonry units together but it promotes premature deterioration of brick. If moisture finds its way into a defect on the brick and by chance freezes, it causes the brick to spall, deflect or displace. Once this happens, the brick loses its structural support to the masonry wall. Removing defective bricks will prevent water damage from spreading to the healthy and sound brick remaining.
A Sweep Across the Bay has the experience to find what caused the masonry problem and how to stop it from occurring again. We understand that buildings all have different needs and budget constraints play a large role. Therefore, we show each client a restoration plan with several options to choose from.
TUCK POINTING
Tuck Pointing is the term used today when referring to a joint being repaired. Years ago it meant something completely different. Tuck Pointing means to remove the existing mortar from between the bricks, stone or blocks down to a depth of about ½-inch and then replace the removed mortar with new mortar. Tuck Pointing is not considered to be a structural repair. Many contractors sell it as a structural repair but it is not, it is an aesthetic repair. Some will argue that it does help the overall structure and in some cases this could be true. However, because we cannot get the new mortar all the way across the joint the industry does not recognize any structural effect.
