I’ve noticed the mortar between my bricks looks like it’s sinking back or disappearing in spots. Is that something I should be concerned about or is it normal?
Answer
Yes, that’s one of the most common signs tuckpointing is needed. We do a lot of tuckpointing in Canton. Over time the mortar slowly wears away from weather exposure, especially with the freeze-thaw cycles we get here. Once it starts breaking down, it creates gaps between the bricks and that allows moisture to get into the wall.
When that happens, it’s not just a cosmetic issue anymore — that moisture can lead to further deterioration of both the mortar and the brick. Tuckpointing removes the weakened mortar and replaces it with new mortar, which tightens everything back up, restores the structural bond, and helps keep water out moving forward.
