When Do You Need – Repointing Vs. Tuckpointing Chicago, IL

Although the difference between tuckpointing Chicago and repointing is clear, it’s often unclear to those who are unfamiliar with the term. So, let’s define certain terms precisely.

Repointing is when old mortar is removed from joints and fresh mortar is placed in its place.

Tuckpointing Chocago is the practice of filling in mortar joints with thin lines of mortar in a contrasting color or pattern.

Mortar, especially lime mortar, which is meant to be softer than the surrounding masonry unit, may become loose as it ages and weathers. Over the course of many decades of exposure to the elements, the sand in the lime mortar might start to disintegrate, necessitating a repointing with fresh lime mortar according to tuckpointing contractors Chicago.

In order to repoint correctly, it’s necessary to remove a small section of the mortar joint, typically 1/4 to 1/3 of the depth of the mortar, clean the junction, and then reapply a matching mortar in color and composition.

In the world of historic preservation, repointing is utilized increasingly often to restore worn joints on older structures so that they may be used for years to come.

Tuckpointing still involves chipping away at the old mortar, but the goal is to create a strong connection between the old joint and the new ornamental application of lime mortar or putty so that the junction will survive for years to come.

Tuckpointing Chicago is more concerned with external appearance than repointing, which is more concerned with structural upkeep.

A Definition of Penciling
Penciling is a purely aesthetic technique that involves painting a contrasting color over a mortar joint. Instead of filling in the whole mortar joint with lime mortar, as is done during tuckpointing, just a small section of the junction is filled in with color, often by the use of dried pigments.

To give contrast or structure to the wall assembly, penciling is also referred to as “lining out” because it appears like adding thin white or red lines to the middle of the mortar joint.