Tuckpointing in Fort Lauderdale FL - sound mortar joints that keep water out
Mortar crumbling out of your brick joints? We cut out only the worn ones and refill them with a mix that suits your brick.
Send us photos of your worn joints
A few photos of the worn mortar show me which walls we're talking about before I come out to look.
Do my brick walls need tuckpointing?
Tuckpointing, also called repointing or pointing, is cutting the worn mortar out of a brick wall's joints and replacing it with new mortar, and for a house in Fort Lauderdale it's one of the most effective and lasting ways to keep water out of the brick.
Most calls start with something you spotted on an outside wall or a stain on the inside, and the first thing I do is find out why, because the cause needs fixing along with the joints or the problem usually comes back. The price turns on how many joints need cutting out, how deep the wear goes, how high and easy to reach the wall is and whether any bricks need brick repair too. The schedule turns on that size, plus any permit or historic review your house needs first. Your written estimate lists each step and material, so you'll see your own number before we start.
Why Fort Lauderdale homeowners call J&R Fort Lauderdale Concrete & Masonry for tuckpointing
I'm at every estimate and job
I come out to every estimate myself and stay on site with our crew while the joints are cut and filled. The person who marked your joints is the one checking them.
Licensed and fully insured on site
We're licensed and fully insured. A Florida certified license works statewide, a registered one only where the holder has a certificate of competency, so ask any contractor which kind they hold and whether it covers Fort Lauderdale.
Measured and written down since 2023
I traded an office desk for a trowel, learned under an experienced mason and started this business in Fort Lauderdale in 2023. I still measure, check and write down every job, so nothing gets guessed at.
On a brick wall the right repair is usually the smallest one that keeps water out, so tell us about your wall or call (754) 228-0031 and I'll come take a look.
How we do tuckpointing on your brick
I start by going over the wall joint by joint and marking the ones that need work, because only damaged joints should be repointed and sound original joints hold up better than new ones. Before anything gets cut, I compare the old mortar with what we plan to mix, since new mortar should match the original's strength or be weaker. A mix that's harder than the old one can make the brick face flake off, which masons call spalling, and that damage to the brick can't be undone. Then our crew cuts out the marked joints, clears out the dust, wets them, packs in new mortar and tools the face to the same shape as the joints around it, cleaning the wall as we go.
When a brick is cracked, loose or already spalled, new mortar won't save it, so we replace it as part of our brick repair work while the joints are open. If the drive leading up to that wall is next on your list, we also lay driveway pavers and can look at both on the same visit.
Spot repointing
This suits a wall where the damage sits in patches, like under a downspout or along the bottom courses. We cut out only the joints that need it and leave the sound ones alone.
Full wall repointing
This suits a wall where most of the joints are worn or cracked. Patching one area at a time there would mean more visits and more mortar that doesn't quite match.
Repointing with brick replacement
This suits a wall with a few cracked or flaking bricks mixed in with worn joints. We swap those bricks out first so the new mortar goes in around sound brick.
How can you tell your brick joints need tuckpointing?
Mortar that crumbles away
If you can scratch mortar out with a key or find sand at the base of the wall, the joints have lost their hold, and water gets in deeper every wet season you wait.
Joints sunk behind the brick
When the mortar sits well back from the brick face, rain collects in the groove instead of running off, and the deeper it wears, the more mortar has to come out later.
Cracks along the bricks
A crack through the mortar or between mortar and brick lets water straight into the wall, and if it steps across several rows, I'll want to look for movement behind it.
Damp spots or stains inside
Stains, peeling paint or mold on the inside of a brick wall usually means water is getting through the joints, and the longer it goes on, the more drywall and trim it ruins.
What happens after you call us about tuckpointing?
Book a visit to the wall
You call or send a request and we set up a time. I come out myself, look over the whole wall, find what's causing the damage and write an estimate listing each step and material.
We handle permits, then repoint
Once you're ready, we take care of any permit the job needs and schedule the inspections. I'm on site with our crew the whole time the work goes on.
Walk the finished wall together
We clean up the mortar dust and leftover material, then walk the wall with you joint by joint. I want it square, clean and something you'd be glad to show a neighbor.
Tuckpointing questions we hear
Here are answers to what Fort Lauderdale homeowners ask most about repointing brick. If your wall doesn't fit any of them, call or send a request and ask about your own job.
How do I know if my brick mortar needs repointing?
Your joints need repointing when the mortar is worn more than 1/4 inch deep, crumbles, has holes, or has cracked within itself or along the edge of the brick. Those are the joints I mark on the walk-through, and the rest stay as they are.
How long does tuckpointing last on a brick house?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on how exposed the wall is and what mortar was used, while the brick itself may well last over 100. So expect a brick wall to need its joints renewed long before the brick wears out, and treat repointing as upkeep, not a sign the wall is failing.
Will new mortar match the color of my old mortar?
It can come close, because the color of the sand and the type of cement are what set the color of new mortar. We set a small test patch somewhere out of sight, and you approve the color on your own wall before we go further.
Who issues permits for masonry work in Fort Lauderdale?
The city's Building Services division issues permits and performs building inspections in Fort Lauderdale, so that's the office to ask whether your repointing job needs one. When a job does need a permit, we handle the application and schedule the inspections.
Do I need city approval to repoint a historic home in Fort Lauderdale?
If your house is a designated historic property, the city requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for any work that would change how the outside looks. The Historic Preservation Board reviews those applications at its monthly meetings, so plan around that wait and tell us up front if your house is designated.
How much does tuckpointing cost in Fort Lauderdale?
The cost comes down mostly to how many joints need cutting out and how deep the wear goes, so a few patches by a downspout cost far less than a whole wall. Wall height, hard-to-reach spots, an unusual mortar to match and any bricks that need replacing all add to it. I count and mark the joints at the estimate, and the written estimate lists each step and material so you know what you're paying for.
Get your joints marked and priced
Tell us where the worn joints are, add a photo or two, and note whether your house is a designated historic property. We reply within one business day to set up a free estimate at your property, with no obligation.
Repointed brick up close
Other work on brick and paving
Brick repair
Bricks that are cracked, flaking or loose can't be fixed with new mortar alone, and swapping them out keeps the wall sound around fresh joints.
Learn moreDriveway pavers
If your concrete drive is cracked or stained and you're already planning work outside, pavers give the front of the house a surface that's easy to fix later.
Learn more