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Tuck pointing is a method of pointing or re-pointing brickwork. The ribbon is then precisely trimmed to a smaller scale to form a raised profile. Tuck pointing can go unnoticed however you may find evidence beneath window sills or eaves.
One of the variations of tuckpointing is 'bastard tuck pointing' which refers to the application of a raised bead of mortar on top of the original to build and set the stones/masonry units of the wall itself. This creates a fragile finish that is less commonly found nowadays.
Tuck pointing can't be renewed until the mortar has weathered back to an equivalent depth to the joint width or is extremely loose. Tuck pointing is very tricky to renew in small areas. The decision to repoint will be of greater importance and additional care must be used to avoid losing sound pointing that forms a key part of a building.
Whilst patch pointing is usually inadvisable with tuck pointing, it is possible to repair the stopping and this can be preferable to repointing a whole section where only minor deterioration exists.
Tuck pointing should be replaced like-for-like by a specialist and you should avoid replacing it with another joint type. A distinct section is normally renewed in one job. It is important to do trials on the building with separate panels required for walls facing different directions to assess the variations in drying times and the resulting mortar colours.
After raking out the old mortar, a colour wash may be applied to blend the tone of the bricks. The stopping is inserted and comprises an often hydraulic lime mortar to match that used previously. The colour is derived from the sand and possibly additional organic pigments and is grooved to receive the ribbon, which typically consists of lime putty and very fine sand/stone dust. It is placed with a jointer and trimmed using a tuckpointing tool. It is essential to protect your wall from the weather until the lime mortar hardens.
It is possible to do localised repairs to just the stopping where deterioration is insufficient to justify the renewal of a whole section. To prevent the repairs from standing out excessively, the ribbon is omitted but if a groove is scored this will still allow the joints to be ‘read’.
You should not apply a new ribbon to old stopping as this is excessive and the ribbon may detach itself from the stopping due to an inadequate bond.
For more information about tuck pointing, please contact us today.
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