Repointing Look Outs

There are quite a few New England homes and buildings with weather worn chimneys, walls and foundations. In a lot of instances the structures are still solid, its only the mortar joints that have washed out. This is certainly a much simpler and cost effective repair then a total replacement. What needs to be done is whats called repointing.  Repointing is the replacement of the mortar ranging from a depth of 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches. The mortar on the face of the masonry surface is removed by grinding with a power tool, hand chiseled or a hand air tool can be used. Weathering and decay can cause voids in the joint in between masonry units. Those voids can cause undesirable ingress of water which in turn washes out more mortar. This can cause significant damage through the freezing and the thawing cycles.

It is very important to detect right away the signs of failure in your foundation. It will not only increase safety in your environment it will also help you save money. You should watch out if the drywall is ripping and/or tearing (usually diagonally); doors that won’t close or even stick and pinch shut; windows that will not open or even close; your floors having cracks; cracks in the bricks or block with a stair-step pattern; and a wide crack somewhere at the top or a small crack somewhere down below from settling.

The process of foundation repair Marlborough ma does not really need to remove the mortar joints that are still sound. You can use new mortar and design it to blend in with the old mortar by matching the color and the texture. This begins by removing the damaged pointing in a certain depth or until a sound mortar is already reached. 

Poor repointing may cause some problems with the rest of the structure.  If the mortar is too thin, it will quickly erode. And if the mortar rises above a certain level can damage the corner of the unit. It can also lead of feathering of the edge of the masonry unit. If this happens, the deteriorated mortar has not been removed in a sufficient depth. You should also watch out for soft materials in much older buildings. They are usually easy to remove using your hands so that you can avoid damage. However, if these materials are not properly removed, they can cause further damage to the whole of the masonry unit.

Repointing the old foundation needs a technical skill that is high in level. You need to get it done properly so that you will not have further problems with your foundation. You can do it yourself if you have the time and the skill, but you should just leave it to the professionals.