With years, the mortar joints on the walls of your house start to deteriorate, and they make the walls look unsightly. Luckily, you don’t have to live with unsightly walls when this happens. Getting your house a fresh coat of mortar, a process referred to as tuckpointing, is easy with a few handy skills.

If you have the time and tools, you can remove the old mortar, clean the joints, make new mortar and work it on the joints.

You then need to work on the joints and clean them to make them look good. Learn more below.

Preparations for Tuckpointing

In most cases, a mason or someone with experience should do tuckpointing seeing that it is a labor-intensive task. Before the procedure begins, the joints need to be assessed to determine the extent of the damage.

At times, only a few joints need reparation, but in some instances, the whole outer wall needs to be repaired.

During the assessment, the professional or you, if you’ll be attempting a DIY, will determine whether the whole structure needs cleaning based on the condition and age of the joints.

A power drill will make the process of cleaning easier, but in its absence, you can use a chisel.

After removing the mortar, use a brush to clean out the joints to get them ready for the fresh mortar.

Water the joints after cleaning them and leave them for a few hours before applying the mortar.

Making and Working Mortar

Learn how to make mortar by first choosing the right mortar. The mortar should be created to have the consistency of peanut butter.

You can tell that your mortar is ready if you place it on your trowel and hold the trowel at 45 degrees and the mortar does not fall.

The mortar will last for up to one hour, but you need to keep adding water to ensure it is workable.

To apply the mortar, place it on your trowel and hold it close to the joints. Use a tuck pointer to press the mortar into the joints ensuring that the mortar fits perfectly. Remember to wet the joints again before applying the mortar.

Immediately after applying the mortar, use a jointer along the horizontal and vertical joints to tool them. This should make them look great.

Cleaning and Watering the Joints

You need to keep the joints cleaned after you have worked them and then keep them watered for a few days. This ensures that the stones do not suck water from the mortar.

A professional will know the right mortar to use based on the mortar that was on the walls originally.

You can use dye in your mortar, which should be mixed before water is added. Dyed and normal mortar are both taken care of the same way.

Tuckpoint Today

Tuckpointing is easy when done by a professional or with the guidance of a professional as mistakes are avoided.

Nevertheless, you can do it yourself. You only need to learn how to make mortar and apply it on already cleaned joints.

If you have the needed tools, the process will be easy. Either way, old mortar joints need to be remade to enhance the condition of your walls.