Restoring the Character of Detroit's Historic Brick Homes
Detroit, Michigan is a city rich in history, and one of the best ways to appreciate that history is through the beautiful, historic brick homes that dot its streets. However, many of Detroit's Historic Brick Homes have fallen into disrepair over the years, and it's up to us to restore them to their former glory.
At Brickworks Property Restoration, we specialize in the restoration of historic brick homes in Detroit, MI. We understand the importance of preserving the history and character of these homes, and we take pride in helping homeowners do just that. In this blog post, we'll share some insights into the process of restoring a historic brick home and why it's essential to work with a professional masonry and brick repair company like Brickworks.
Assessing the Damage
The first step in restoring a historic brick home is to assess the damage. This typically involves a thorough inspection of the exterior of the house, including the brickwork, mortar, and any other masonry elements like chimneys, columns, or arches. We'll look for signs of cracking, spalling, or other forms of damage that can compromise the structural integrity of the home.
Once we've identified the areas of damage, we'll work with the homeowner to create a plan for repair. This plan will outline the scope of the work, the materials needed, and the timeline for completion.
Repairing the Brickwork
The next step in restoring Detroit's Historic Brick Homes is to repair the brickwork itself. This can involve a range of techniques depending on the type and extent of the damage. For example, if the brickwork has cracks or holes, we may need to remove and replace individual bricks. If there's more extensive damage, we may need to repoint the entire brick facade.
Tuckpointing is a process in which we remove the old, deteriorated mortar and replace it with fresh mortar that matches the original color and texture. This not only improves the structural integrity of the brickwork but also gives the home a fresh, new look.
Preserving the Character of the Home
One of the most critical aspects of restoring a historic brick home is preserving its character. Historic homes often have unique architectural features that are a testament to the era in which they were built. Our team at Brickworks understands the importance of preserving these features, and we work diligently to ensure that the restored home remains true to its original design.
For example, if the home has decorative brickwork, we'll carefully remove any damaged bricks and replace them with new ones that match the original design. We'll also use traditional masonry techniques to ensure that the restored brickwork looks as authentic as possible.
Why Work with a Professional Brick Repair Company?
Restoring a historic brick home is not a job for amateurs. It requires a high level of skill, expertise in masonry and brick repair, and an understanding of historic preservation techniques. That's why it's essential to work with a professional brick repair company like Brickworks.
Our team has years of experience in restoring Detroit's Historic Brick Homes as well as homes throughout Southeast Michigan. We understand the unique challenges and requirements of this type of work, and we have the skills and tools needed to get the job done right.
In addition to our expertise, we also use the highest quality materials available. We source our bricks and mortar from trusted suppliers and ensure that they meet the exact specifications needed for the job.
The Bottom Line
Restoring a historic brick home is a labor of love, and it's essential to work with a professional masonry and brick repair company that understands the importance of preserving the home's character and history. At Brickworks Property Restoration, we take pride in our work and are dedicated to helping homeowners restore their historic homes to their former glory. If you have a historic brick home in need of repair, contact us today to get a free quote on your home project.
Do You Need Tuckpointing Services? Look For These Red Flags
Tuckpointing is the process of replacing the mortar between bricks with two separate colors to give the impression that the joints are thin and straight. In contrast to repointing, which is used when deteriorated or missing mortar needs to be replaced to ensure a wall’s structural integrity, tuckpointing is largely (although not always only) dictated by the aesthetic preference of the homeowner(s). Here are some red flags that could indicate your home could benefit from tuckpointing services:
Loose, Crumbling, or Missing Mortar
Mortar decays over time. While bricks themselves are particularly hardy and can last for one hundred years or more, mortar is susceptible to water damage, extreme changes in temperature and pressure from the weight of surrounding bricks. If you notice loose, crumbling, or missing mortar in the joints between the bricks of your home, you likely need to consider either repointing or tuckpointing services.
Mold on Interior Walls
Even a hole the size of a pinpoint can allow water to leak into your home and cause mold to grow on interior walls. Visible puddles, water stains, a musty odor and/or rising humidity within your home might indicate that you have a problem with your masonry. Tuckpointing services might help resolve them.
Issues with Windows, Doors, and Walls
Other issues inside the home could signal it’s time for masonry repair, as well. For instance, doors and windows that become harder to open or close and cracks or shifts in walls could all be symptoms of faulty masonry joints. Similar to mold, these types of problems often mean excess moisture is getting into the home through defective mortar joints. Over time, the extra water and drastically changing temperatures can weaken your home’s walls so that they sag or bow and warp its windows and doors so that they no longer operate as intended. At this time, repointing or tuckpointing services should be contemplated.
Lackluster Curb Appeal
Of course, many people choose tuckpointing services to fix a problem of aesthetics, not structure. If you feel your home’s facade is tired or worn, tuckpointing services can often improve its general appearance. Replacing rough and uneven mortar with clean, straight lines can instantly brighten your home’s visual appeal.
Want to Learn More?
To learn more about tuckpointing services and when you need to make use of them, please contact our team of professionals at Brickworks Property Restoration. We can help you determine whether or not your home would benefit from masonry construction or repair.
The Brick-Work World Of Joint Styles
With so many mortar joint styles available, it can be difficult for the untrained eye to distinguish the difference between them, or even know when one should be used over another. Not only do they affect the appearance and structure of the bricks, but they also play a role in the structure’s integrity, durability, and weather resistance, making it an extremely important factor in a chimney or wall’s construction. But how many types of joints are there? And which should you use? Here’s everything you need to know about joint styles.
The Concave Joint
Perhaps the most common form of mortar joint, the concave joint is done by using a striker tool or a blunt cylinder and running it along the joint to create a concave look that touches the ends of connecting bricks. You’ll find this joint type being used on the exterior of most homes, as it is one of the most superior and most consistent joint styles for water resistance.
The Vee Joint
This mortar joint is similar to the concave style, except that the curved joint is replaced with a distinct “V” shape. While still a viable joint choice, these are not employed as often and are considered somewhat rare. This is perhaps due to the fact that they are more intricate in execution and are more susceptible to water accumulation but make for quality joints nonetheless.
The Struck and Weather Joints
Mostly seen in older buildings—or those trying to replicate a classical look—these joints adopt a diagonal mortar angle with one edge touching the end of a brick and the other angling either up or down. Special care must be taken when performing these mortar joints so as to prevent water deterioration.
The Flush Joint
Creating a flush joint can often feel like layering a cake. As mortar is applied and bricks are laid on top, excess mortar is likely to secrete from the joint areas. Rather than creating a pattern inside the joint, the excess is simply scraped off, making it flush with the surrounding bricks. This is much rarer than other joint styles, as having a flush mortar joint makes it much more difficult to adequately waterproof the wall, which can lead to weathering after many years.
The Extruded Joint
The extruded joint is done just as you would a flush joint, but with one detail removed: The excess mortar is not scraped away. This is seldom seen among experienced workers, as it can cause unevenness and drooping. There is little uniformity to the way this type of joint is done, and structures that have implemented it often deal with water damage unless another component is involved.
The Raked Joint
Also known as a pushed-back joint or a recessed joint, it is another one of the most often seen styles. This is done by taking a wheel with a skate and a nail in it that scrapes along the wall to remove an inner layer of mortar. It is then gone over with a wire brush, creating a flat line of mortar that is not flush with the brick, but just shy of it. This makes the brick “pop” and is considered one of the most well-crafted joint styles.
The Grapevine Joint
Virtually identical to the flush joint in execution, the only major difference here is that the beam used to create the concave is much smaller. This allows for excellent water resistance as the tops and bottoms of the joint take on a flush joint appearance, with the center being concave. It is the ultimate hybrid of the concave and flush joint.
Looking For a Professional?
Mortar joints hold bricks together in a tight bond that is crucial to the structure’s long-term viability. Some joint styles are stronger than others, but the personal preference of joint aesthetics is also a factor to consider. Whichever type of joint style you decide to implement, hiring trained professionals—like those found at Brickworks—should be your top priority to ensure your mortar joints are matched properly.
Are you interested in learning more about the different types of mortar joints and who you can hire for personal brick repair? Brickworks offers customers quick and efficient work at an affordable price. Contact us and grab your free estimate today or give us a call at (586)-330-4887.
5 Questions to Ask a Tuckpointing Company Before Hiring
Tuckpointing is a very common technique in the world of brick installation, but it’s not as common for people who work outside of the industry. Nonetheless, tuckpointing helps make brick buildings look more modern, varied, and stylish. Fortunately, for experts like Brickworks Property Restoration, tuckpointing is a piece of cake.
In today’s article, we will answer the 5 most common questions to ask a tuckpointing company before hiring them and provide useful information about the technique.
What is tuckpointing?
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.
How much does tuckpointing cost?
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).
Is tuckpointing purely visual?
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.
How long does tuckpointing take to finish?
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.
What’s the difference between tuckpointing and repointing?
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.
Conclusion
Tuckpointing is a very important element of brickwork repair and construction. While it may be a new term for the uninitiated, it is a common practice that can help brick structures look more appealing. Moreover, tuckpointing can help increase the value of brick structures and reduce water damage to chimneys. So, if you’re in need of new brickwork for your home or business, consider getting tuckpointing done at the same time!
If you’d like to learn more about tuckpointing, consult the experts at Brickworks Property Restoration today!
How Long Does Tuckpointing Last?
Lasting value is the key to any home-repair service. After all, no homeowner wants to constantly dip into their savings to cover home-maintenance costs. And that’s not to mention the hassle of dealing with crumbling bricks or damaged facades year in and year out. That’s why it’s important to determine how long certain services will last. Thankfully, tuckpointing –– the process of replacing damaged or eroded mortar in between bricks –– is a highly effective way to ensure the structural integrity of a home. To address today’s titular question: how long does tuckpointing last? In general, tuckpointing on a new brick building will last for about 25 years. There are a number of factors that can affect this estimate one way or another, and we’ll explore them here:
Climate
Moisture is the enemy of all brick buildings. Bricks are very solid, but they’re also porous, which means water can enter through their surface and eventually cause damage. Naturally, areas that receive a lot of rainfall are more susceptible to brick damage. Furthermore, an improper drainage system (including pipes underneath your home) could work to undermine your home’s brick exterior.
Tuckpointing vs Repointing
There are two distinct types of tuckpointing. The first, known as “repointing” or “spot” tuckpointing involves replacing the mortar only on a specific area of a brick wall. A full tuckpointing project, conversely, covers the entire brick wall. Repointing is perfect, then, for fixing small areas in your exterior that have been affected by the weather or other external force. By repointing strategically every now and again, homeowners can avoid potentially costly repairs.
Quality of Installation
Tuckpointing is a relatively straightforward process and you can do it yourself if so inclined. (To learn the basics of tuckpointing, click here.) However, it’s important to realize that the quality of installation will affect the value of the repairs. Amateurs who have little-to-no experience tuckpointing may be unable to do little more than supply a “band-aid” for a crumbling exterior. What’s more, homeowners should beware cut-rate contractors who use cheap mortar or shoddy tools. Slapdash brickwork will likely need to be corrected soon to prevent further deterioration.
What Happens if I Wait Too Long?
While tuckpointing is an inexpensive and efficient way to prolong the integrity of your brick home, other brick repair methods can be much more substantial. Indeed, bricks can last up to a hundred years if well-maintained, but if you notice bricks in your wall coming loose from their mortar joints, then it may be too late to tuckpoint. Instead, you could be facing a much more arduous task such as a total rebuild or brick replacement.
Final Thoughts
Brick homes –– like any other investment –– require upkeep to retain their value and appearance. The good news is that tuckpointing is a simple fix to many potential problems. Remember, don’t take your chances with just any brick repair service, though. Rather, contact the pros at Brickworks for all your tuckpointing needs. Our team has years of real-world experience, and we only use the highest quality products and tools. If you want the job done right, then call us today at (586) 330-4843.
Solid Tuckpointing Vs. Spot Tuckpointing: Is There A Difference?
Though professional masons understand the difference between solid and spot tuckpointing, most homeowners probably don’t. (For the uninitiated: tuckpointing is the process of replacing old or worn mortar between bricks with new mortar mix.) After all, the distinction between the two may seem minor. However, knowing when to request solid tuckpointing vs spot tuckpointing could actually save you a considerable amount of money –– and spare you some major headaches. In layman’s terms, solid tuckpointing refers to the process of tuckpointing an entire wall, exterior, or building. Spot tuckpointing, conversely, involves only fixing a small area of a brick (or stone) fixture. Here we’ll explain the pros and cons of both, when it makes sense to spot tuckpoint, and when you should call a professional for solid tuckpointing assistance:
Spot Tuckpointing
Unsurprisingly, spot tuckpointing is a great way to deal with external damage on a wall. So, for instance, if something were to collide with the side of your home and knock a few bricks loose or cause a small divot in your wall, spot tuckpointing will help you make your exterior look good as new. In addition, spot tuckpointing may be required if a small section of your exterior is exposed to more wind, rain, and/or freezing temperatures than the rest of your home. Furthermore, individuals who are looking to sell their home and improve its appearance quickly may want to consider spot tuckpointing to spruce up any faded or cracked patches.
Solid Tuckpointing
Solid tuckpointing can act as a brick-repair method and a practice to prevent brick deterioration in the first place. Most experts recommend solid tuckpointing on new brick homes after roughly 20-25 years (depending on weather and several other factors). However, as a brick home ages, you may need to tuckpoint more often to maintain the integrity of a wall. It’s also best to choose solid tuckpointing if you’re looking to enhance the overall appearance of your home. Lastly, if you’re concerned about potential long-term foundational issues, then solid tuckpointing is the way to go.
Spot vs Solid Tuckpointing DIY
As we covered in a previous blog, it is possible to tuckpoint on your own. And dedicated homeowners can indeed spot tuckpoint to positive effect. However, solid tuckpointing is a time-and-labor intense project that is better left to the professionals. In addition, messing up while spot tuckpointing can contribute to discolorations and inconsistent blotches in brick exteriors, as well as the potential for further cracks and damage.
Contact a Professional
Brick homes are classic and durable, and a little maintenance will go a long way to protecting your house for years to come. So don’t put off vital upkeep like tuckpointing if your home is overdue for a “check-up.” Remember, when you partner with Brickworks Property Restoration, we’ll make certain that your tuckpointing project goes as smoothly as possible –– in terms of both aesthetics and structure. Don’t wait to address a potential problem with your home’s facade –– call us today at (586) 330-4920!
Tuckpointing 101: The Basics
Brick homes are beautiful, classic, and structurally stout. Yet, brick structures do require upkeep in order to maintain their integrity and vibrant appearance. Tuckpointing is one of the simplest, but most effective ways to ensure the quality of brick walls and facades. What is tuckpointing? Tuckpointing is the process of removing old, deteriorated mortar from in between bricks, and replacing it with new mortar. Here, we’ll explain everything you need to know about this essential maintenance procedure and answer a few FAQs as well:
How Often is Tuckpointing Required?
The great news about tuckpointing is that, when done correctly, you won’t have to worry about replacing mortar again for decades. Typically, experts recommend that homeowners tuckpoint every 20-25 years. It’s worth noting that tuckpointing won’t last quite as long as an original application of mortar. Other factors that could influence how long mortar lasts include the climate (specifically how wet or cold an environment is), the color of the brick, and quality of the mortar application. You can tell if you need tuckpointing done by running a sharp surface along mortar joints. If that produces a fine powder, then your home could need tuckpointing. Loose bricks will also indicate that it’s time to tuckpoint.
Why Should I Tuckpoint?
Tuckpointing serves two critical purposes. First, tuckpointing when necessary will restore the structural integrity of brick facades that would otherwise deteriorate over time. Neglecting to tuckpoint could lead to structural damage and expensive repair costs. Secondly, professional tuckpointing enhances the appearance of brick walls and chimneys.
Tuckpointing DIY Tips
If so inclined, homeowners can choose to tuckpoint their own houses. To do so, you’ll need (at least) the following equipment to get started:
- An angle or tuckpoint-specific grinder
- Chisel
- Tuckpointer blade
- Hammer
- Hammer Drill
- Mortar Gun
- Trowel
- Safety Goggles
- Earplugs
- Hose
- Brush
- Mortar mix
To begin, you’ll want to use the angle grinder to grind away at both the horizontal and vertical joints along the brick surface. Next, use a rotary hammer drill to remove the remaining mortar. You can also use a chisel to chip away at any left over flakes. Brush the joints down and wash them with water. From there, you can apply new mortar to the joints with a trowel and tuckpointer blade. Lastly, after waiting around a half hour, smooth out the mortar and brush away any debris. (Note that this is not a step-by-step breakdown of the tuckpointing process, but rather a quick overview.)
Benefits to Professional Tuckpointing
While it may be tempting to try and tuckpoint parts of your home by yourself, it’s often a better idea to simply contact a professional to perform this task. Tuckpointing requires special equipment and a fine attention to detail. It’s easy for untrained individuals to accidentally chip or damage bricks when removing old mortar. What’s more, an improperly tuckpointed wall will probably require more future work (and time and money) than one tuckpointed by a professional. Lastly, professionals understand how to tuckpoint facades and restore the surface to its original quality and color. Ameatuer tuckpointing jobs may appear inconsistent by comparison.
Final Thoughts
Need help tuckpointing your home? Then don’t hesitate to contact us here at (586) 330-4843. At Brickworks, we strive to provide excellent service for all of your home-improvement and masonry needs. We’ll work with you to deliver a cost-effective solution that will protect both your exterior walls and the natural beauty of your brick home!
Use Tuckpointing and Repointing to Extend the Life of Your Masonry
Brickworks Property Restoration can extend the life of your home’s masonry. Like all materials that are exposed to the elements, masonry is also vulnerable to degradation. However, with proper maintenance, and by employing the processes that we have experience and expertise in using, your brickwork will last a very long time. We understand that masonry work can be expensive, and that is why we have developed the expertise that is necessary to minimize the cost to you. We can help extend the life of your masonry work by employing proper maintenance techniques.
What is Tuckpointing and Repointing?
So what are the proper maintenance techniques for masonry work? We recommend the tuckpointing and repointing processes. Here is a little more information about each technique.
Tuckpointing is a method of using two contrasting colors of mortar in the joints of brickwork, with one color matching the bricks to give an impression that extremely fine joints have been made. Tuckpointing is the art of finishing the mortar joints in exposed brick or stone masonry with suitable cement or lime mortar, which protects the joints from the effects of weather. It also improves the esthetic appeal of the structure.
Repointing is the process of renewing the pointing, which is the external part of mortar joints, in masonry construction. Over time, weathering and decay can create voids in masonry unit joints, which allows water and moisture to penetrate the masonry. This occurs most often in brick masonry. Water can do severe damage to masonry. Tuckpointing and repointing restore masonry to a state that resists penetration by water.
The process includes removing the mortar that has been compromised by the elements from the masonry joints and installing new mortar. When installed properly, tuckpointing and repointing will prevent expensive repairs and foundation damage from occurring.
There are some easy ways to determine if your masonry work needs our attention. You may notice:
- Gaps forming between the masonry and the mortar
- New cracks in the mortar
- Bricks or stone in the structure have loosened
- Puddling or dampness on the masonry structure
- Water has infiltrated interior walls
Masonry Repair Services
If you notice any of the signs listed above, your masonry structure may be at risk. Brickworks Property Restoration will help restore your masonry structure to full structural integrity. We have worked hard to establish a reputation for professionalism and trustworthiness. If your masonry is in any state of deterioration, give us a call at 586-868-3234 and we will be happy to serve you.
What Is Tuckpointing?
While the bricks on your chimney can last as long as a century, the mortar that is used to connect the bricks has a much shorter lifespan. Tuckpointing is a repair technique that can be used to strengthen and repair the mortar that deteriorates over time in order to prevent your chimney from being compromised, or even worse, collapsing. Brickworks Property Restoration can complete necessary chimney repair on your home - our tuckpointing services will extend the life of your mortar so that you can be confident that your chimney will be strong for many years to come. Tuckpointing can extend the life of your chimney system in a variety of different ways.
Benefits of Tuckpointing
Brickworks Property Restoration can complete all types of tuckpointing. Whether you simply need cracks and holes filled in your mortar, or if you need us to grind out existing mortar and refill it, we can help. The benefits of periodic tuckpointing of your chimney include:
- Increasing the value of your home
- Restoring your home’s natural beauty
- Preventing additional mortar damage
- Protecting your home against storm and other weather damage
- Reducing risk of moisture penetrating and getting inside your chimney system
- Preserving and restoring the integrity of chimney and old brickwork
- Tuckpointing is less expensive than a complete chimney rebuild
Why Choose Brickworks Property Restoration for Tuckpointing?
Now is a great time to have your chimney tuckpointed during the warmer months, before another harsh winter approaches. The team at Brickworks Property Restoration works all year round and has openings available for a tuckpointing job immediately. We offer free tuckpointing consultations. Our trained and experienced masonry professionals can assess your home’s chimney and give you a detailed assessment of weak areas and our recommendation for tuckpointing.
The Brickworks Property Restoration crew takes pride in our work and guarantees your satisfaction in our tuckpointing services. We will not leave any mortar on your brick, we use diamond blade grinders so we will not affect surrounding brick, and we can match mortar to your existing mortar to maintain aesthetic appeal. In addition, we make all of our own mortar right in our shop so we can guarantee that it is high quality and will last for many years. Our prices are affordable and our crew is professional, courteous and respectful of your time. For more information about our tuckpointing services or to schedule a time for our crew to come to your home, call us today at (586) 868-3234.
How Tuckpointing Repairs Mortar Joints: Brick Repair MI
Brick siding is very low maintenance. The bricks themselves can last a lifetime with very little maintenance. The mortar in between the bricks is another story though. It is not made to be as strong as the bricks, and it can start to crack in 10-20 years. Thankfully, there is a simple process that can repair and replace mortar joints without disrupting the bricks.
In this guide, we will take a closer look at tuckpointing mortar joints and how you can benefit from this process.
What Is Tuckpointing?
Tuckpointing is the process of removing the surface-level mortar around your brick and replacing it with new mortar. This strengthens the support around the bricks so they do not get damaged later on. Tuckpointing will also make your brick siding look fresh and new, which will enhance your curb appeal and increase your home's resale value.
When Is The Right Time To Get Mortar Tuckpointed?
If you start to see cracks along your mortar, you may want to get it inspected. There is a simple test you can do to tell how structurally sound your mortar is. Run a key along the mortar and see if any powder comes up. If the mortar is still in good condition, a key will not be strong enough to flake it off. If there is powder visible, you can contact Brickworks Property Restoration in Michigan for a free quote for tuckpointing.
Can I Do The Tuckpointing Myself?
Tuckpointing is a specialized process that takes extensive training to get right. We fully support homeowners who like to be hands on, but this is a task that is best left up to the professionals. You have to be careful about how you approach this process so you do not damage the brick or remove too much of the existing mortar. If you go about it the wrong way, you could have a much larger repair bill on your hands.
What Happens If I Don't Tuckpoint?
If you choose not to get tuckpointing, moisture will start to get trapped around your bricks. This will create damage on the bricks themselves and create a bigger problem to repair. When tuckpointing is done correctly, it creates a moisture shield that protects the bricks and your home as a whole. This is yet another reason why it's important to trust the pros, so you can get professional-grade mortar to protect your exterior siding.
Contact Brickworks Property Restoration to learn more about our tuckpointing services in Michigan.