Repointing in masonry refers to the repairs performed on mortar joints wherein new mortar is applied in after the old mortar has been carefully and expertly removed.

The first phase, taking out old mortar, is one of the more tedious parts of the process. While difficulty depends on the task, the bigger caveat lies in that the current materials to be used may no longer be in congruence with the existing brickwork, particularly if it is part of a significantly old home.

This is only one of several important reasons for you to hire professional tuckpointing contractors as they will know how to deal with the circumstances. While a DIY repointing may be tempting and may seem less costly, you might just end up spending more if you do not get the repointing right and precise.

Perhaps you are wondering what repointing brickwork cost in Evanston is.

Repointing stonework varies greatly from project to project; repointing brick chimney will be a much higher price than repointing brick sidewalk, especially given the hazards and the complexities involved in the former. Also, keep in mind, bigger damages means higher costs.

To give you an idea about repointing brickwork cost in Evanston, here are some factors, conditions, and situations that impact the amount you pay for tuckpointing services. The charges are classified according to the location where repointing is intended to take place.

The Foundations and the Sidings of the House

Deemed as some of the more expensive areas to do repairs on, the foundations and sidings of your home are also very intimidating in that they are the lifeblood of the strength and stability of your shelter.

Since it is your home there must be absolutely no room for mistakes in the repointing process, as this is the backbone and base groundwork for a major break down or collapse if worse comes to worst.

This is the reason why repointing brick foundations and sidings can be more costly. The repairs required demand skilled accuracy and expert meticulousness.

Patios

Although not as costly as tuckpointing foundations and sidings, repointing patios may cost a relatively high amount because an older design must be preserved and new work must be consistent. There may also be stairs involved, and these needs to be level without any wide gaps.

Sidewalks

Repointing sidewalk brick may be the least pricey of the four major segments. Despite its constant need to be repaired, owing to how sidewalks have the most overly utilized stonework, repairing just a brick or two is a small cost.

Chimneys

Since chimneys are located atop homes, it is not the most convenient area to be working in, thus making repointing chimney brickwork time-consuming and laborious. These factors make its tuckpointing costs a little higher in turn.

Your Repointing Brickwork Contractors in Evanston

It is understandable for you to speculate about repointing pricing. Yet it is best to get in touch with professional repointing contractors for an estimate of your prospective home project.

Our repointing experts at Affordable Tuckpointing Pros LLC can provide an inspection of your damaged brickwork and tell you what the repointing brickwork cost in Evanston is. Give us a call at (630) 833 3665 so we can be of assistance.

Do you want to install a new window in your current brick wall? Are you changing the interior of an old house?

First, you need to know how to install a lintel in an existing brick wall.

If you do not know the answer to this question, then you are in the right place. Here at Affordable Tuckpointing Pros LLC, we have experts and professionals that provide affordable and quality services catering to your masonry needs or to the repairs of your brick houses.

What a Lintel is and What You Need to Know about it

Lintels are the parts above an opening in a wall. They are installed in existing walls to support the load or the weight of any structure above the opening, be it a window or a small door. There are several types of lintels used in masonry.

They can be single angle lintels or steel beams with plates. More often than not, the wall cracks that we see in brick or masonry walls are due to defective installment or design of lintels.

There are several considerations in installing a lintel in an existing brick wall. For example, you need to consider the weight or the load which the lintel will have to carry. You also need to consider the stress that will be applied to the lintel by the load above the opening. Other considerations are the materials used in the wall, the maintenance, the moisture control and any movement problems.

How to Install a Lintel in an Existing Brick Wall

If you are placing a window or a door in your existing brick wall, it is really important to know how to fit a lintel in a solid wall. If not, there will be a great danger that the window, door or opening could cause structural cracks in your wall.

You must first know where you will put your opening and of course, mark it up. Do remember that lintels are placed above the bricks so you really have to be precise with your measurements.

Then you must create a gap or an opening for the lintel that you will place in between the gap. In the next step, you must know how to insert a supporting lintel since you will be placing this structural form inside the gap which you just created.

These steps might sound easy but you need to consult builders or engineers to ensure that creating an opening will not cause any damage to your house and that the lintels will do their work.

Affordable and Quality Masonry Services

Despite knowing how to install a lintel in an existing brick wall, it is still important to have a builder or structural engineer have a look at your home or your brick wall.

If you have further questions, feel free to contact us through our site. Our team of experts has the knowledge you need to get the job done right the first time! We will be happy to assist and help you in your masonry needs.

Are you currently living in an old house? Do you wish to transfer to or buy an old house? Do you intend to build a home with an old-feel interior? If you are very much into old houses, then you must never miss out on tuckpointing.

If you intend or want to build an old house, it is of paramount importance to ask how much does tuckpointing cost?

In every service needed, the cost is definitely a primary consideration. You came to the right site if you are looking for quality and affordable tuckpointing services.

What Tuckpointing Is and What You Need to Know About It

Old houses will always be in need of tuckpointing services. Owners always overlook this aspect of maintaining old houses, and thus the bricks of your beloved old house will continue to tear apart.

Basically, tuckpointing is the repair of mortar, which keeps the brick of your old house together. Due to the extreme changes in weather conditions and other destructive circumstances, the mortar around your bricks could fall off. If this glitch in the construction of your old house will worsen, it will affect the bricks themselves, and the overall exterior of your house.

Tuckpoint repairs are usually done in the foundation, chimney, or porch steps of your house. In order to know if you need tuckpointing services, be keen in looking for parts where the mortar has fallen off or where it has begun to look powdery, or a little bit elevated, compared with the rest of the mortar.

Determining How Much Tuckpointing Costs

You might be inclined to do some do-it-yourself project with your bricks or your mortars but considering the importance of repairing the mortars of your house, we recommend you seek professional services to get the repairs done. This is when you ask how much does tuckpointing cost? How much do I need to spend for all my home repairs?

To determine this, among the factors that should be taken into consideration in knowing how to estimate tuckpointing costs are the extent of damage that needs repair, the area that needs to be fixed, the area of your home, and the materials needed for the repair.
Worry not, for we are very much willing to help and assist you with your needs. Feel free to contact us through our details, which you can find on this site. Tell us your concern and we will be more than happy to provide you with an evaluation.

The Cost to Repoint Brick House

There is no exact formula to determine how much does tuckpointing cost or what the tuckpoint cost per square foot is, right to the very last cent. It varies from the amount of damage that needs to be fixed and the service required to maintain the exterior of the house and to prevent any immediate damage to the house.

Nevertheless we, at Affordable Tuckpointing Pros, LLC, will make sure that we only provide the best services to you. We guarantee quality in our services; we have the best and most experienced contractors in the area. We use high-quality materials and high-end equipment to ensure that our repairs are long-lasting. Last but not the least, we offer the most affordable services to cater to your needs.

Tuckpointing or repointing is a type of masonry repair service. It involves the placement or replacement of new mortar in between existing brickwork. This method of repair may be applied on any stonework such as sidewalks, chimneys, and of course the walls of your home, among many others. However, most don’t know what to expect from a tuckpointing cost estimate.

Tuckpointing is a technique that can enhance the look and feel of your house’s brick surfaces and can protect them from any further damages. It also reinforces the parts of the residential structure which have cracked, chipped or punctured and eroded mortar.

So how much will it cost you should you need or want your brick walls tuckpointed? Do you already have an idea of tuckpointing cost estimate?

This guide will help. Listed here are the basic factors to take into account when calculating the price of tuckpointing services.

Area Parameters of the Project

Basically, the size of each damaged area on the brickwork plays a huge factor in the total amount which you will ultimately have to pay.

As well, what are the existing conditions of the stonework? How damaged or cracked is the mortar? Is your wall worn-out in many areas?

These are the first few considerations when thinking about a tuckpointing cost estimate.

Materials, Tools, and Equipment to Be Used

If you are hiring tuckpointing services for the purpose of reinforcement of your home? What about repairs of unwanted cracks and chips on the mortar? Maybe you just want additional sheer cosmetic value to your brick wall. Whatever your intentions may be, you will want your tuckpointing contractors to use only the best consumable materials. You also want efficiency on the job, so you will certainly want their equipment to be of excellent quality. Who wouldn’t want the latest and most innovative in the field of tuckpointing? When it comes to your home, everyone wants the best for an affordable price.

All these will lead to high-quality results, exceeding your expectations only, they usually come at a higher price.

Labor and the Period of Time Before Completion

In any tuckpointing work, there are two main factors. The labor rendered as well as the duration of time which the project will take place. These two factors what you should keep in mind.

Are the bricks of the wall relatively smaller than usual or standard? Then this circumstance may slow down the process of tuckpointing since there will be more mortar to apply.

How about the areas of the project? Where are they located? Are they just on the lower part of the brick walls or is it the chimney of your home which you want repointing done? There is more hazard for the technicians if they are to tuckpoint a part of the chimney given its location. Therefore, you may have to pay a little higher for chimney work.

Make sure you have all these set forth to arrive at a more accurate tuckpointing cost estimate.

The better option is to get a professional tuckpointing cost estimate from Affordable Tuckpointing Pros LLC free of charge. With Affordable Tuckpointing Pros LLC, you will only pay for what you get. Rest assured that there will be no additional charges after the completion of the project. We make it a point to take into account every aspect of our tuckpointing services during an inspection.

Perhaps you are already decided on hiring our tuckpointing services? Do not hesitate to let us know right away. We will gladly be at your disposal to serve. With Affordable Tuckpointing Pros LLC, you get the services and results which you deserve at the appropriate price and within the most efficient amount of time.

The installation of a lintel is a very crucial phase prior to drilling a hole into a brick wall.

Here is a simplified lintel installation guide for the purpose of learning the gist of the process and why a lintel is installed.

What Is a Lintel and How Does It Function?

Basically, a lintel is a structural component for the purpose of strong support. It can be found over a door, a window, a portal, or any other forms of the apertures in the walls of your home.

The lintel allows for the transfer of weight to the foundations of the wall openings sans the unwanted use of strain. This also helps decrease putting hazardous pressure on the frames and sills of a window or a door. Enough strength and stability are requirements of a lintel in order for it to efficiently and powerfully function as a support structure. It is also mandatory that its material composition is consistent and congruent with the masonry which it provides support for.

While doing this is the main function of a lintel, you may also want to incorporate decorative and ornamental elements. Since this important structural support, it may come in the form of stainless steel, concrete or masonry stone. So decorate it to match your abode!

Necessary or Optional: Is a Lintel Fundamental?

A lintel may seem elective especially if you have a relatively small wall opening, a window or a door. However, it is best recommended to have a lintel installed regardless of the size of the frame it will support. The reason for this is your guaranteed safety in your own home. A lintel serves as added reinforcement to the maintenance and strength of the masonry constructed above it.

The Lintel Installation Guide, in Brief

Marking the wall. Search for the appropriate place for your aperture. Upon finding the right place, place a mark on the mortar line where the lintel will be installed.

Cutting the marked gap. Cut away the line of mortar which you previously marked on with the use of an angle grinder. What do you do if the angle grinder is unable to complete the task because the mortar may be thicker than the grinder can handle? You will have to utilize a mash hammer and masonry chisel to take out the remainder of the mortar. Upon completion of this step, clean the surfaces of the gap with a hammer drill.

Placement of the lintel. Carefully and meticulously put the lintel in the gap with the use of mash hammer. Fill in the ends of the lintel with your prepared mix of mortar. Then run your palm over the still wet mortar to know if it is even and uniform with the level of the existing mortar line. Thereafter, you can wipe your brick wall with a wet rag to tidy up.

For the best professional lintel installation services in Chicago, talk to us and request for our expert contractors at Affordable Tuckpointing Pros LLC. We guarantee safety of the installation process as well as durability and longevity of the results.

Now that you are better equipped with a little more knowledge through this lintel installation guide, contact us. Upon consultation with Affordable Tuckpointing Pros contractors, you will be able to better understand and follow as we walk you through the steps. We will do this as we work on the actual process of lintel installation in your home.

Do you have an old mortar and brick wall in your Chicago home that is damaged and needs fixed?

Look for masonry contractors Chicago for tuckpointing and other masonry services in the Chicago area.

A structure that is made of concrete, brick, or stone and mortar is known to be highly durable and can last long. Due to high-quality masonry, these types of chimneys and walls have been proven to last for about 50 years. They can even last longer if they are properly maintained by regular spot tuck pointing restoration.

However, after a number of years of standing up to different weather conditions, the mortar joints that connect bricks start to become brittle. This is when they need to be replaced by new material to keep the structure standing. Finding a great tuck pointing mason contractor to perform an examination is crucial. They can discuss with you the restoration and repair process along with any construction that will be necessary.

Check out masonry contractors in Chicago and get the best quality tuck pointing contractors.

What Is Tuck Pointing?

Tuckpointing is the process of repairing a structure that is made of stone block, or brick that is joined together with mortar. Contractors who specialize in repairing brick and stone masonry do so by removing the old, deteriorated and damaged mortar and replace it with new material.

If you reside in Chicago and are looking for a mason business to fix your brick or stone wall, visit our Chicago masonry contractors.

Why Should Mason Contractor in Chicago Fix Your Wall?

When the mortar on the brick wall in your building deteriorates, it becomes brittle and prone to wearing. If the old mortar is not replaced, it will slowly be worn from the wall. With nothing holding the bricks, the entire structure will soon fall. Repairing your brick or stone framework with the help of our masonry contractors in Chicago increases the durability and lifespan of the wall.

When Should Masonry Contractors Be Called Tuckpointing?

As said above, brick and mortar structure can last up to 50 years. The brick itself lasts for more than 100 years. However, the mortar, is softer and more prone to weathering. This is due to exposure of different and extreme weather conditions.

How Do Masonry Contractors Complete Tuck Pointing Repair?

Below are the steps on how our masonry contractors in Chicago Illinois repair a brick wall:

– Ground the old deteriorated mortar deep at a uniform level.
– Fill the grouted grooves in between the bricks with red mortar.
– Form new grooves at the center or the applied red mortar by cutting thin strips.
– Fill the grooves with mortar as the same color of the original mortar.

If you are in Chicago, you are privileged to have many choices for a tuckpointing construction business. So look for the best contractors who offer masonry services be it suburbs, residential, or commercial work.

Why Should You Hire Masonry Contractors?

If you have the masonry skills and have all the materials and equipment needed, theoretically you can do it by yourself. However, it is best that you hire masonry contractors to do the repairs for you. If you live near the Chicago area, you can look for masonry contractors in Chicago to check out companies who offer tuckpointing services. Hiring a professional can assure that the repairs needed for your block or stone wall are done properly with the best quality. You may also want to check out company reviews to ensure that you have chosen the best quality masonry business.

If you have a deteriorated brick and mortar wall or chimney, don’t wait until the framework falls. Call our local masonry contractors in Chicago today for more details about having your wall fixed to maintain its durability.

When you feel that your house is too narrow, you might want to free up some space by removing a load bearing wall. By taking out that wall divider, you can make a room more spacious.

Maybe you want to put up a larger piece of furniture in your house, or you just simply want more space for walking and lounging around your place. This can be especially helpful when there are guests over for parties and other events and celebrations.

If you have a little knowledge in carpentry or brick masonry, removing a load bearing wall can be done by you. However, you have to be careful in executing every step to ensure you are properly removing your load bearing wall.

Below is a step by step guide on how to take out your bearing wall to free up space in your place.

How to Remove Load Bearing Wall

1. Install Temporary Braces on Either Side of the Wall

Put up temporary braces to give support on your ceiling once you start removing your load bearing wall. Installing 2×4 poles on the two sides would be recommended as it gives maximum support and protection to the ceiling.

2. Cut the Wall Plaster

Punch a hole at the center part of your cutting area with a screwdriver or a hammer. Then once a hole is made, use a reciprocating saw to cut through the wall plaster.

3. Cut the Wood

Once you are done with cutting through the wall plaster, the wood lath is then exposed. Start cutting the wood lath away so the wall studs are exposed.

4. Remove the Wall Studs

Cut through the wall tracing the wall studs using a reciprocating saw, then carefully remove the wall studs.

5. Put up a Header

Install a header in the area where the previous wall was placed.

6. Attach the Filler Blocks

Nail and hammer the filler blocks so that they are attached to the jack stud. Once done, use a screwdriver to attach the jack stud to the king stud for a more secure grip.

7. Install a Header into the Opening

Spread some construction adhesive onto the back of the wall and the header opening. Then attach the header or lintel to support wall to the opening.

8. Nail the Studs

Connect the new jack studs onto the king studs by hammering them with nails.

9. Remove Temporary Braces

Once done installing the opening, you can now remove your temporary braces.

Follow this step by step guide to removing your load bearing wall so you can give more space to your desired room. Before even doing this, don’t forget to prepare all the materials and equipment needed. So when you start working, you don’t have to look for the missing materials and work can be done continuously.

Widen the space in your place by removing this wall in your house. By preparing all the materials and equipment, and following every detail in doing so, you can do it yourself successfully. You can also ask for assistance from a family member to help you in getting it done faster and more easily.

Nobody knows when masonry building began. Yet, ever since man learned to mold the environment according to his wishes, the craft continued to develop into what we know it to be today. All throughout history, we’ve created fascinating structures with masonry building, some of which have remained standing for thousands of year. However, the craft is so complex that many of the techniques used in its early years have been lost seemingly forever ago.

For example, to this day, even the smartest architects and builders of the modern era have been stumped by the great pyramids. Not only have they not been able to figure how where the ancients derived the huge blocks of stone they used to build the pyramids, but also how they laid those stones one on top of each other in such perfect form.

Although, even with its great mysteries that may never be solved, masonry building will always be a part of our heritage and whatever path civilization may choose to follow for many more years to come.

What is Masonry Building?

Masonry work is loosely defined as the art and trade of construction. It involves the use of several different materials, such as stone, clay, mortar, and concrete.

Over the years, we learned that masonry works were prone to damage from the strong forces of nature. Therefore, we also learned how to reinforce those basic materials.

In the early years, grass and straw were used to reinforce clay. Today, modern masons use steel rebars to reinforce concrete.

In the future, there is no doubt that we’ll discover more effective ways to reinforce whatever material we learn to use in masonry. This means that the craft will continue to evolve into something more efficient and hopefully less demanding on natural resources.

Types of Masonry Works

Almost anything we see being constructed today involves some form of masonry. From roads and sidewalks to homes and the tallest buildings of the world, you can be sure that masonry was part of it’s construction.

Since this craft makes use of a lot of different materials, the type of masonry is often defined by the type of materials used in construction.

Homes that are constructed with brick involve brick masonry. Anything constructed with stone involves stone masonry. The same goes with concrete, marble, and any highly durable material used in construction.

The reason why the type of masonry building is categorized according to the main type of material used is because of the different skills needed to use that material.

Concrete uses a different set of skills than brick or stone masonry. Even though many of the processes seem similar, such as using mortar to hold together the main materials, like concrete blocks or clay bricks, the actual process uses different techniques.

How Masonry Building Affects Our Daily Lives

Regardless of whether we’ve learned the craft of masonry or not, it will still affect the way we live one way or another. For example, when clay was still the main material used to construct homes, we learned to restructure our lives to adapt to buildings made of clay. When concrete became the main material, we’ve learned to adapt to concrete.

As masonry evolves and the main material turns into something else, there’s no doubt that we’ll learn to adapt to that material as well.

Conclusion

Many of the homes we build using masonry are not just simple structures but subtle works of art because of the skills required to construct those homes. Therefore, when something goes wrong, masons with the same level of skills will be required to fix the problems. At Affordable Tuckpointing Pros, our masons have the necessary skills to work on your homes as if they were works of art.

Brick exteriors, though not as common or popular as siding or wood exteriors, still have a following. Many homeowners still choose brick over other exterior materials due to its durability and amazing appearance. Even though bricks are certainly more expensive, they do give out the feeling of quality and stability in a home.

However, like any type of material used in home construction, bricks do not last forever. In time, the mortar holding the bricks together will loosen and eventually corrode. When this happens, the bricks also become loose or fall out. This is where products for tuck pointing come in handy.

To prevent this from happening, the mortar needs to be replaced using a procedure called tuckpointing. There are different products for tuck pointing and this article will provide you with an adequate description of the entire process.

Tuckpointing Definition

As described above, tuck pointing is basically a masonry procedure that involves replacing or repairing loose mortar. If you didn’t know, mortar is a material used in holding bricks together.

Though the job when performed by a pro may look as if its relatively easy to do, there are skills needed to perform the job well. Pros only make it look easy. However, DIY enthusiasts or someone who has never done the work before will soon find out they need to develop a skill before they can produce quality results.

Products for Tuck Pointing

One of the reasons why tuckpointing may seem easy to do, is because of the simple tools used in the process. All masons really need is a hawk, a bricklayer’s trowel, and a tuckpointing trowel.

A hawk is a simple device composed of a small piece of flat wood with a handle on one side. The side without the handle is used to lay mortar on so that it can easily be transferred to the brick. This is one of the most important products for tuck pointing.

The bricklayer’s trowel is useful in placing mortar on the hawk. It can also be used to chip away loose pieces of mortar or flattening it out to make the job seem more professional.

The tuckpoint trowel is used to transfer the mortar from the hawk to the brick joints, which is the space between the bricks where old mortar loosened and fell off.

Tuckpointing Mortar Bags

The fastest way to get the job done is to use pre-mixed mortar that come in dry form and placed in bags. All a mason would need to do is to open the bags, take out a specific amount of dry mix mortar, then mix it with water. Just continue mixing until it reaches a certain consistency, then apply it to the brick joints using the products for tuck pointing described above.

If the brick joints were properly prepared before applying mortar, the job should flow seamlessly. With a little care, mortar won’t spread over the bricks. If this happens more work would need to be done to clean the mortar off the bricks before it hardens and becomes a permanent fixture. This will prevent the entire project from look sloppy.

Conclusion

It takes a lot of time to develop tuck pointing skills. If you don’t have those skills and you would prefer not to risk turning your brick walls into an amateur hackjob, then call a professional to do quality tuckpointing work.

We at Affordable Tuckpointing Pros have years of experience in managing any type of project that involves brick exteriors. If you want quality work done on your brick walls, give us a call and we’ll schedule an appointment as soon as possible.