Unpopular opinion: tuck pointing ain't all that great

I see everyone on here raving about tuck pointing like it's the best thing since sliced bread. But after working on a job in Portland last summer, I totally changed my mind about it. We had a 1920s brick wall that looked solid from a distance, but up close the mortar was crumbling bad. The homeowner insisted on tuck pointing because the guy on YouTube said it was the way to go. Well, we did it, and within 6 months the new mortar started cracking again in the rainy weather. I'm convinced that for old brick like that, you're better off with a full repoint using a softer lime mix that matches the original. It takes longer and costs more upfront, but that job would have saved us a call back. The tuck pointing just didn't hold up to the freeze-thaw cycles we get here. Has anyone else had a tuck point job fail on them after a wet winter?

2 comments

2 Comments

reese55013d ago

Honestly, did you switch to a hydraulic lime mix after that?

hernandez.jordan13d ago

Did you use a pre-mixed hydraulic cement for the tuck pointing though? I've seen that stuff fail in wet climates every time but a proper lime-based tuck pointing mix holds up way better in my experience lol.