We've all seen it: The brick or stone wall where the mortar is all powdery, cracked or non-existent. "Mortar can disintegrate over time because of weather as a result of the freeze-thaw cycles. The ...

Avoid costly damage to brick or stone structures by repointing loose, cracked or crumbling mortar. Step 1: Use a cold chisel and a hammer to clean out the mortar joint to be repaired. Place the chisel ...

Repointing brickwork is usually required at least once or twice per century. Wear, weather and structural stresses cause the mortar between bricks to deteriorate over the decades, until you’re left ...

Tuckpointing—not repointing—brick can increase its lifespan while improving its appearance. How to tell if your home needs it. What is tuckpointing? If you've ever renovated a brick or stone structure ...

Last week, I fielded no fewer than five phone calls from homeowner with the same grim news. They found it nearly impossible to get quotes from contractors to do fairly simple repairs. Each caller’s ...

The perceived increasing use of ‘restoration mortars’ for the conservation of historic masonry is often viewed as controversial due to the long-standing contention associated with ‘plastic’ repairs in ...