House walls and brick trim
Joints on a brick house wall wear unevenly, usually worst where sprinklers, downspouts or weather hit hardest, so we often repoint one side or one band and leave the rest as it is.
Tuckpointing in Yorba Linda CA - tight mortar joints that keep your brick sound
Mortar crumbling or washing out of your brick joints? We clean out the worn joints and fill them with new mortar that suits your brick.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What tuckpointing involves for your brick wall
Tuckpointing, which most masons also call repointing, is raking worn mortar out of the joints in a brick or block wall and packing in fresh mortar, and we do it for homeowners in Yorba Linda who want their walls sealed and solid again.
Most people call us after they find sand along the foot of a wall, mortar they can scrape out with a key, or joints worn back behind the face of the brick. Those are mortar problems, and they're the ones tuckpointing fixes. If the bricks themselves are cracked or loose, that's a wider repair, and I'll tell you which one your wall needs.
The price comes down to the size and height of the wall, how many joints have actually failed, the condition of the brick and the foundation under it, and how easily we can reach it. Walls and chimneys above 8 feet need scaffolding, which adds cost and setup. The schedule turns mostly on the size of the wall and whether any bricks need repair before the new mortar goes in, and the estimate I write after looking at your wall gives you the figure for it.
I judge every wall myself
I come out to see each job and write the estimate myself, so the person deciding which joints need work is the same person who answers for that work later.
Our own masons do the work
Our own crew of masons and helpers does the repointing, and I'm on site to check it, so the joints that get redone are the ones we agreed on at the estimate.
Based in Yorba Linda
We're based in Yorba Linda and work in many nearby cities, including Placentia, Fullerton, Orange, Irvine and Norwalk. I've run the business since 2017 and still look at every job.
How we tuckpoint a brick wall
I start by going over the wall joint by joint, because we repoint the joints that have truly failed and leave the good ones alone. Solid old mortar does its job better than new, and keeping to the failing joints stops a slow, hand-done job from costing more than it should. A failed joint usually shows as crumbling mortar, small holes, hairline cracks, a gap opening between brick and mortar, or mortar worn well back from the brick face.
Our masons rake the old mortar out of those joints to a clean, even depth, taking care not to chip the brick edges, then pack the new mortar in and shape it to match the joints around it so the repair blends in. If I find bricks that are cracked, loose or flaking on the face, we take care of them first as brick repair, since new mortar won't hold against a failing brick.
Raking out mortar is dusty work, so we cover the beds, patio or drive at the foot of the wall and clean up properly at the end of each day. If the paving there is cracked or sunk, we also lay driveway pavers and are glad to look at it on the same visit.
Where tuckpointing helps around your house
Garden and property walls
A freestanding brick wall takes weather on both faces and along its top, so the joints near the cap and the base are usually the first to crumble and the first we check.
Chimneys
Chimney joints are hard to judge from the ground. Federal guidance for existing masonry chimneys focuses on their falling hazard in an earthquake, so if yours looks loose rather than just worn, I'll say so.
Steps, planters and low walls
Brick steps, planters and seat walls take foot traffic, soil and watering, and a few washed-out joints there can be repointed as a small job before water works in behind the brick.
Get a free tuckpointing estimate on site
Once you send the form, we reply within one business day to set a visit, and I come out myself to look at the wall and write your estimate.
Free estimate at your house
Tuckpointing is priced by the wall in front of us, so I come out, look over the joints one by one and write your estimate on site at no charge.
No pressure, no obligation
You're welcome to take the estimate, compare it with others and think it over. I'd rather you choose us because the plan makes sense to you than because anyone pushed.
Phone lines open every day
If you'd rather talk it through, call (714) 386-7680 from 6 AM on weekdays or 8 AM on weekends, until 10 PM every day, and we'll gladly answer your questions.
Masonry joint and brick wall examples
These photos show joint profiles, mortar colors and brick walls we can talk through with you when we look at your own wall.
Questions about tuckpointing in Yorba Linda
Here are the questions I hear most at estimates, from whether repointing is enough to what it costs and how long it lasts.
Is tuckpointing enough to fix my damaged brick wall?
Tuckpointing is enough only when the damage is limited to the mortar joints. Leaks, stair-step cracks running through the wall, loose or cracked bricks and spalling, where the brick face flakes away, point to wider damage, and that cause has to be repaired before any repointing. I'll tell you which you have when I look at the wall.
How much does tuckpointing cost in Yorba Linda?
Across the US, tuckpointing usually costs about $5 to $25 per square foot of wall. That's a national figure, not our price, and where a wall falls in it depends on things like its height and how many joints have failed. The written estimate I give you after looking at your wall is the figure to go by.
What kind of mortar should be used to repoint old brick?
New mortar should be similar to or weaker than the original in compressive strength, which is how hard it is to crush. A mix harder than the old one can damage the brick beyond repair, so it's fair to ask any mason what mix they plan to use. I'll tell you ours at the estimate and why it suits your brick.
How long does new mortar last after tuckpointing?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, though how exposed the wall is and what goes into the mortar change that. So repointing is a long-term repair, and the right mix shapes how well it holds. In the first few months a white, powdery bloom sometimes shows on new work, and it usually weathers away.
How do I choose a mason for tuckpointing?
Look for a mason who can show you past repointing jobs, because an excellent bricklayer isn't always skilled at repointing. You can also ask for a small test section somewhere out of sight. California's Contractors State License Board defines masonry contractors as the ones who install brick, block and stone, and we're licensed and insured, with satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Do I need a permit for tuckpointing in Yorba Linda?
It may. The City of Yorba Linda requires a permit for most construction or repair the code regulates, and its list names fireplaces and fences but not tuckpointing. Even exempt work still has to meet the technical codes and city, county and state rules. We check with the city's building office first, and if a permit is needed, we handle it and the inspections.
Other masonry work that goes with tuckpointing
Send us photos of your mortar joints
A few photos of the joints, the wall's height and any chimney work, sent through the form, let me come out ready for your wall.