What Is the Difference Between Tuckpointing and Repointing?

Repointing explained

Repointing means grinding or raking out deteriorated mortar to a sound depth — usually two to two-and-a-half times the joint width — and packing in new mortar. It is the structural fix for failing joints.

Tuckpointing explained

Tuckpointing is a decorative technique: joints are filled with mortar tinted to match the brick, then a thin contrasting line of lime putty is 'tucked' into the center to create the look of fine, crisp joints. It originated in 18th-century England and appears on some Boston-area historic buildings.

Which one does your house need?

Almost every Boston-area home that needs joint work needs repointing. True tuckpointing is only necessary when restoring a building that originally had it.

• ·Soft, sandy joints you can scrape with a key: repointing
• ·Gaps behind bricks or missing mortar: repointing
• ·Historic facade with original ribbon joints: tuckpointing restoration

Mortar matters more than the name

Whatever it's called, the new mortar must be softer and more permeable than the brick. For pre-1930 brick that usually means a lime-rich mortar (Type O or Type K per ASTM C270) rather than hard Type S.

Frequently asked questions