When I run my finger across the joints, the mortar kind of turns to dust. Is that something that needs repair or just normal wear?
Answer
That’s a sign the mortar has fully broken down. Mortar shouldn’t be falling away into dust like that. Once it gets to that point, it’s no longer holding the bricks together properly. That opens things up for moisture and leads to more extensive damage over time. Tuckpointing replaces that failing mortar and will save you from a more extensive masonry repair down the road.
