Tuckpointing in Huntsville AL - fresh mortar joints that protect your brick
Mortar crumbling or washing out of your brick joints? We cut out the worn joints and refill them with mortar that suits your brick.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What is tuckpointing, and does your brick need it?
Tuckpointing in Huntsville means cutting the worn, crumbling mortar out of the joints in your brick walls and packing them with fresh mortar. Masons also call it repointing, and it keeps water out of the wall so the brick can keep doing its job.
Usually the bricks are fine and it's the mortar between them that has given out, sanding away, cracking or leaving gaps. If the bricks themselves are cracked or broken, that's a different job, brick repair, and I'll tell you which one your wall needs. The price turns on how much of the wall needs new joints and how hard it is to reach. The schedule turns on the size of the wall and whether a historic district review has to come first, and my written estimate gives you the figure for yours.
How can you tell your mortar joints need tuckpointing?
Mortar that turns to sand
Rub a joint with your thumb and it comes away as grit. The mortar has broken down, and the longer it goes, the more water gets into the wall and the more joints you end up paying to redo.
Joints worn back from brick
The mortar sits well behind the brick face instead of close to flush with it. Water collects on that little ledge, and if it keeps working in, the brick edges start to suffer too, which turns a mortar job into a brick job.
Cracks and gaps in joints
You see hairline cracks, cracks right where the mortar meets the brick, or holes where it's simply gone. Those openings let water behind the face, so it's worth fixing them while it's still a few spots.
How we do tuckpointing on your house
We start by showing you which joints are worn and which are fine, so you aren't paying to redo a whole wall when only a few sections have gone. Then we cut the bad mortar out down to sound material and clean the dust out of the joints so the new mortar has something solid to grab. We mix mortar picked for your brick, not whatever's on the truck, and pack it in until the joint is full with no voids. Last, we shape each joint to match the ones around it and brush the brick face clean before the mortar sets.
If some bricks are cracked or flaking at the face, fresh mortar won't save them, so we handle that as brick repair and set new brick where the damaged ones come out. We also lay driveway pavers, so if the drive out front has seen better days, I can look at it on the same visit.
Repointing only the worn joints
This suits most houses, where the wear shows up in patches and the rest of the wall is sound. You pay for the joints that need it and leave the good ones alone.
Repointing a whole wall
When most of the joints on a wall are crumbling or cracked, patching turns into a patchwork, so redoing the full wall gives you even joints and one consistent color. It costs more up front, but it's the right call once the wear is everywhere.
Get a free tuckpointing estimate for your brick
We respond within one business day to set a time. I come out, look over your joints and follow up with a written estimate, free and with no pressure or obligation.
- Based in
- Huntsville, AL 35801
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call us about tuckpointing in Huntsville?
Here's how a tuckpointing job runs with us, from your first call to the walk-through at the end.
Call or send us a note
Call (256) 417-4326 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. If you can, send photos of the worn joints and tell us whether your home is in a historic district.
I inspect and write it up
I come out myself, look the wall over, take photos and show you which joints are worn and which are fine. Your written estimate spells out the joints we'd repoint and the price, so you know the number before you decide anything.
We do the work, then walk it
If you go ahead, I check the permit and historic district steps with the office that covers your address, and our crew lead runs the job on site with our masons. When it's done, I walk the finished wall with you.
Why Huntsville homeowners trust us with their mortar joints
The owner does every estimate
I sold brick, block and stone for years before I picked up a trowel, and that taught me which jobs fail and why. I'd rather lose a job than sell you joints you don't need redone, so you'll hear plainly what your wall needs and what it doesn't.
Learned the trade around Huntsville
I learned on crews around Huntsville and started this business in 2021, so we've been at it five years. Mortar work on older brick homes is what we're best known for, and that's the work this page is about.
Licensed, insured and glad you asked
We're licensed and fully insured. In Alabama, the state's Home Builders Licensure Board counts anyone who repairs or improves a home as a residential home builder once labor and materials go over $10,000, so on a large job it's fair to ask any crew which license they hold.
See a sample patch first
If you want to see our repointing before you commit, we'll do a small patch on a spot of your wall nobody looks at. You judge the color, the joint shape and the cleanup on your own house.
If your joints are starting to go, get in touch with a few photos and I'll come take a look.
Tuckpointing and brick work around Huntsville
Inside the city, building permits come from Huntsville's Inspection Department. Madison County requires a permit before repairing any structure, though the county's list names roofing and siding, not tuckpointing. That leaves it unsettled whether a repointing job at your address needs one, so we check with the office that covers your house before work starts and handle the permit when the job needs it. If your home sits in a Huntsville historic district, any project that changes the outside of the house or its setting needs the Historic Preservation Commission's approval before a building permit can be issued, so we get that review moving first.
Most of the repointing we do around here is on older brick homes, and the joints under gutters, around downspouts and down near the ground usually go first because that's where water sits. We see the same kind of brick houses on jobs in Decatur and Athens, and we treat them the same way, with the mix matched to the wall that's already there.
Questions about tuckpointing in Huntsville
How do I know if my brick needs tuckpointing?
Your brick needs tuckpointing when the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the face, crumbles, has holes in it, or shows hairline cracks or cracks where it meets the brick. If only some joints look like that, only those need work, and I'll point them out when I come by.
What mortar is best for repointing an older brick home?
The new mortar should be about as strong as your original mortar or weaker, because a harder mix pushes the stress into the brick and can pop the face off, and that damage can't be repaired. On historic houses, lime mortar is a good choice since it's soft, lets moisture through and barely changes size as temperatures swing. Ask any crew what mortar strength they plan to use, and expect a straight answer.
How long does new mortar last after tuckpointing?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on how exposed the wall is and what went into the mortar. Bricks may last more than 100 years, so on a brick house you'll usually repoint more than once while the brick stays put.
What approval does a Huntsville historic district home need for tuckpointing?
Work that changes the outside of a house in a Huntsville historic district needs either a Certificate of Appropriateness or Expedited Staff Review before a building permit can be issued. Routine exterior repairs are on the staff review list, and you can apply with the city at any time without going before the Commission. Tell us when you call if your house is in a district.
How much does tuckpointing cost in Huntsville?
There's no set price per wall, because the cost comes down to how many joints need cutting out, and I give you a written number after I've seen yours. Repointing a few patches costs far less than a whole house, and the price climbs with wall height, hard old mortar that fights the cutting, and a careful color match on an older home. If some bricks are damaged too, replacing them adds to it.
How do I choose a good tuckpointing contractor in Huntsville?
Ask to see their past repointing jobs, because an excellent bricklayer isn't always skilled at repointing. Ask what mortar they'll use, and if you want proof on your own house, have them show their work on a hidden section first, the same sample patch we offer.
Other masonry work for your brick home and drive
Brick repair
When bricks themselves are cracked, chipped or flaking at the face, new mortar alone won't fix it, and the damaged units need cutting out and replacing.
Driveway pavers
If your driveway is cracked or heaving, pavers set on a well-packed base give you a drive that's easy to repair one piece at a time.
Service areas for tuckpointing around Huntsville
Capstone Huntsville Concrete and Masonry is based in Huntsville, Alabama, and the 10 cities listed below include Madison and Guntersville. If your city isn't on the list, call and ask anyway.
Have us look at your mortar joints
Fixing joints while the wear is still patchy usually means paying for a section instead of the whole wall.