| What are the common problems - An old stone | | | | water dispersion throughout the mix but will become |
| retaining wall that was well constructed can last | | | | problematic on hot days due to the drying of the |
| hundreds of years... no kidding. Even the best built | | | | mortar in the grout bag. |
| walls though will eventually succumb to the powers | | | | So good advice is to keep the mortar loose and |
| of Mother Nature and will at some point need some | | | | periodically clean and dampen your grout bag to |
| type of repair. Generally that repair is the re-setting | | | | remove any hardened material. This will allow you to |
| of a few loose stones and the replacement of | | | | apply even pressure as you grout the joints to a |
| missing or deteriorated mortar joints. | | | | consistent thickness and make the application simpler |
| Pressure wash to remove dirt and loose material - | | | | and easier. |
| The first step in the tuckpointing process is to | | | | Squeezing the mortar into place - How to place the |
| thoroughly pressure wash the wall. This not only | | | | tuckpointing mortar can be done in numerous ways |
| removes dirt, mold and soot but the pressurized | | | | but the grout bag is the most productive. I start at |
| water will etch the surface of the joints which will aid | | | | one end of the wall and begin filling all of the deep |
| in the bonding of the replacement pointing mortar. | | | | holes in the wall with new mortar making sure it is |
| Care should be taken not to get to close to the wall. | | | | about the same height as the existing mortar joints. |
| It may take a few minutes to figure out the distance | | | | When I have finished with the deep holes I go back |
| needed to get the best cleaning action without | | | | to the beginning and start grouting every joint. I let |
| destroying the wall itself! | | | | the new mortar stand 'proud' and 'ride high' above |
| Fill in all mortar joints if you can - Whenever I have a | | | | the face of the existing stone. This allows ample |
| stone tuckpointing job I always try to convince the | | | | material when I push the mortar back into the joint. |
| customer to completely point in all the mortar joints. | | | | Finishing the tuckpointing - After I have grouted a |
| There are three reasons for this. | | | | sufficient area I take a fat tuckpointer of ¾" |
| The first reason is that most walls have a rake joint | | | | or larger, depending on the joint size and start to |
| so it is easy to point in over the existing mortar. | | | | push the mortar into the joint between the stones. |
| The second reason is that the color of all the new | | | | This tightens the joint and closes off any voids that |
| pointing mortar will be the same since all the joints will | | | | may have been missed during the grouting process. |
| be tuckpointed. This prevents problems when the | | | | Immediately after I take my tooling iron and 'finish |
| customer is expecting the new joints to match the | | | | the joint out' with the desired joint type such as flat, |
| old joints perfectly; something everyone wants but | | | | beaded or grapevine finish. Then when a light crust |
| most are not willing to pay for. | | | | has formed over the new joints I take a soft brush |
| The third reason is that you can use a grout back to | | | | and brush away any loose tags and smooth the |
| fill in the joints which allows for quicker installation | | | | joints out. |
| time and more value for the dollar spent, so the | | | | As with all masonry repairs the process isn't too |
| customer gets more bang for his dollars. | | | | difficult however if you want your work to be |
| Mixing of the tuckpointing mortars - Since I typically | | | | presentable and to look nice, you must pay attention |
| use a grout bag I mix my mortar fairly loose or wet. | | | | to the details! |
| I also use a bonding agent which will help initially with | | | | |