When a quick and inexpensive fix is needed on a brick chimney a tuckpoint job may be the easiest solution. Some signs that you may need to tuck-point your brick chimney include:
- Loose bricks
- Loss of most of the mortar
- Large pieces of loose mortar
- Split bricks
Process of Tuckpointing a Brick Chimney
- Have the needed materials including: Type N masonry cement, a bucket of sand, small 1 pint pail, a pastry bag and a mortar mixing tub.
- Start by removing some of the loose crumbs of mortar.
- Mix the cement and sand in the masonry tub. A good ratio of sand to cement is 2:1.
- Add water and mix the mortar to the right consistency. You can tell good consistency based on a few things.
- Mortar sticks to trowel when held upside downMortar sticks to trowel when held sideways
- Mortar slides off of trowel when held sideways and given a flinging motion
- Trim the end of the pastry bag to make the end about 3/8” in diameter.
- Spray water in a small area and stick the pastry bag deep into the holes of the brick chimney and squeeze it out.
- Make sure to keep the masonry damp. It needs to remain saturated but not shiny wet.
- Smooth the mortar of the brick chimney.
.
Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be submitted to our
"