5 Questions to Ask a Tuckpointing Company Before Hiring

As previously mentioned, tuckpointing is not very well-known for those who don’t work with bricks on a daily basis. So, what is tuckpointing? In essence, tuckpointing is simply the technique of using two alternating colors of mortar between each layer of bricks. One of the colors generally matches the color of the brick, giving the impression that there are two thin mortar joints between each brick, even though there’s only one. Tuckpointing has been around for centuries, but it remains one of the most popular brickwork techniques to this day.

The exact cost will vary by provider and project. However, consumers can expect to pay anywhere between $10-$20 per square foot for tuckpointing. For larger projects, the rate per foot may be reduced. For example, if you want to get tuckpointing done for your chimney, you’ll likely pay between $150-$300. Alternatively, if you want it done for a larger structure, you’ll likely pay several thousand dollars (but less per square foot).

No, tuckpointing is not just a visual feature. In fact, tuckpointing serves a specific purpose with chimneys. If you don’t tuckpoint the mortar joints on your chimney, you risk having more water enter your chimney system. Over time, this can cause damage to your chimney and result in higher long-term repair costs.

Much like price, the amount of time will depend on the specifics of your renovation project. That said, a typical chimney tuckpointing project can be finished in an afternoon. One mason can usually finish the job in 4-6 hours. Needless to say, more than one mason can significantly reduce the time, but increase the labor costs.

As mentioned above, tuckpointing is the practice of implementing multiple colors on mortar joints. However, it is frequently confused with pointing or repointing. However, repointing is the act of repairing or replacing mortar joints in general. Thus, tuckpointing and repointing can be done at the same time, but they refer to two distinct services.