Palatine’s Tuckpointing and Masonry Specialists

Tuckpointing, Masonry and Chimney Repair and Maintenance

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Tuckpointing, Masonry and Chimney Repair in Palatine

Around your home, there are various brick elements that you need to keep maintained to ensure the safety of your home and a good visual aesthetic. Brick is not easy to work with, so when you need work performed, it is important to seek out the right company in Palatine to provide tuckpointing and masonry services. This will ensure that a professional is performing the work so that it is completed safely and properly.  Here are a few more ways we can help you with any of your masonry needs.

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What Kind of Work Does a Mason Do?

We Do The Work in Palatine And Surrounding Suburbs

Tuckpointing

It’s something we take pride in

Masons use concrete, bricks, concrete blocks and various natural or manmade stones to build a variety of masonry structure, such as fences, walkways and walls. This includes a range of interior and exterior structures.

The jobs that we are performing will determine the exact tasks we must complete. However, some of the most common tasks include:

• Read blueprints and drawings
• Determine the materials that a job requires
• Utilizing plans to lay foundations, forms and patterns
• Structure alignment
• Maintaining the tools of the trade
• Laying brick and repairing brick structures
• Mixing mortar and grout

Those who work as masons, like us, start out with high school diplomas and typically go into an apprenticeship with a highly experienced mason. It takes an average of three to four years to complete this apprenticeship, ensuring a lot of hands-on learning to develop the needed masonry skills to work on your own. To become a mason, you have to complete 2,000 hours of training on the job.

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Tuckpointing refers to removing the mortar points on a wall or chimney that have deteriorated. Once the bad mortar is removed and the joints are cut to the proper depth, new mortar is put into place. This process can also be used to repair masonry walls using plastic mortar over the existing mortar that is damaged.

Eventually a wall or chimney will require this type of work since mortar lasts an average of 25 years due to issues like weather and moisture. When there is damage to the mortar, the mot cost-effective way to address the issue is to use tuckpointing. If it is not done in a timely manner, there is the risk of the chimney collapsing, requiring you to have a professional come and fully rebuild your brick structures.

Tuckpointing helps to preserve your chimney’s life. Other benefits of this work include:

• Stopping corrosion of the mortar joints
• Prevents water from getting into your walls and chimneys so that it cannot cause mold development and other issues
• Restoring the masonry materials of your chimney
• Ensuring the best stability of your chimney’s structure
• It is less expensive than tearing down and rebuilding your chimney
• Solid masonry improves a home’s value

Our Services

Our areas of expertise are broad.  Take a look at the areas where we can help you!

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  Tuckpointing

  Tuckpointing is something that should be done frequently to avoid moisture from collecting between the joints and within the bricks.

   

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  Chimney Repair

  We service any aspect of the chimney and can help with chimney linings, caps, flues, sweeps, animal nests and any other issue you may encounter.

   

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  Masonry Repair & Rebuild

  From stonework to brick structures to lintel repair and more, we have the expertise to help you with any of your brick or stone issues.

   

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Chimney Repair

While masonry chimneys are built to last, since they are outside in the elements, it is inevitable that repairs will be needed from time to time. Tuckpointing is a type of chimney repair, but there are also times when you need a complete rebuild or a crown rebuild.

When the masonry of a chimney is failing and degrading, you may need a complete rebuild. For this process, we will dismantle the existing chimney carefully and then use fresh materials to fully rebuild the chimney completely, including new bricks and mortar.

It is not uncommon for the crown of a chimney to be built incorrectly. This can result in premature breakdown of this chimney component. By rebuilding the crown, it stops water from getting into the various layers of a chimney.

 

Lintel Repair/Replacement

If you are noticing cracks above the doors and windows of your home, it can indicate a problem with the lintels. Lintels are necessary to provide structural support above the exterior openings of your home by carrying the load. Lintels are generally made of steel rods and concrete, but they can also be made from bricks, stone, timber or steel.

Lintels are designed to withstand several decades, but issues like damp penetration and rain can degrade them over time. Should you notice any signs of deterioration, such as cracks, this tells you that it is time to call a professional mason to assess the situation and make the needed repairs.

Repairs are made to stabilize the area so that lintels can continue to carry load and keep your windows and doors sturdy and safe. Damaged masonry is stabilized using materials, such as metal rods and cementitious anchor grout, to stabilize the above brickwork.

Brick fireplaces can also have a lintel to provide some support to the front area of your chimney. If you have a fireplace in your home, you most likely have a lintel since most areas have building codes that require it. In addition to support, it also protects various chimney elements from the fire’s high temperatures.

Over time, the bricks and mortar joints can deteriorate. If your lintel is bad enough, it can cause the collapse of the front area of your chimney, causing it to fall into the firebox. Due to the safety and structural issues that come with removing a fireplace lintel, it is imperative that an experienced professional tackle this work. A professional will also ensure that all building codes are followed so that your chimney is in compliance with local and state laws and ordinances.

Once the damaged components are repaired, your fireplace will have the structural support that it needs to be safe for operation. With proper lintel repair, the smoke that is produced from a fire will also vent up your chimney properly, preventing excess smoke from flowing into your home.

Brick Restoration

If you have brick in the interior or exterior of your home, it will start to deteriorate due to issues like weather and aging. To keep your home structurally sound and looking good, brick restoration is a solid option. There are a variety of brick restoration services that masons offer:

• Using various cleaners to remove dirt and grime from your home’s brick elements
• Using a chisel and a hammer to repoint brick mortar joints
• Chipping away any old mortar to replace it and replacing any bricks that are loose

Another part of brick maintenance and restoration is having periodic inspections from an experienced mason to assess for algae, mildew, moss, mold and water spotting. The biggest reasons that brick deteriorates is due to moisture. While masonry systems are designed to withstand moisture, it is inevitable that mortar can breakdown over time and allow it to get in.

As moistures accumulates in masonry, mortar starts to crack and the surface will eventually pop out, peel or flake. If the repairs are not made in a timely manner, this can result in wall rot and structural damage where masonry starts to crumble and fall away from your home. As the issue continues, structural failure can result which can be catastrophic for your home.

If moisture is allowed to build in your masonry, there are also health and safety risks to consider. Over time, bacteria can flourish and start putting off harmful gases. If anyone in your home has allergies or asthma, these gases can exacerbate these conditions.

Brick and Stone Chemical Cleaning

As time passes, stone and brick can develop chemical stains, deposits and organic growth. Removing these from brick helps to not only make your home look better, but it can preserve the mortar and other components too so that they will last longer. However, it is important that you use the right products and techniques so that you do not do damage to your home’s stone and brick elements. There are a few different types of cleaners that professional masons use:

• Mildew and mold removers, such as oxygen bleach and chlorine bleach
• Acid solutions, such as muriatic acid, to remove tough stains, deposits and rust
• Degreasers, such as trisodium phosphate, to remove oil, grease and certain mild stains
• Paint thinner and other paint removers, as well as pressure washing and sand blasting, to remove paint

When you are seeking out tuckpointing and masonry services in Palatine, make sure to use a company with experience and the proper licensing as required by your state. This will help to ensure that all of the work is done properly so that you do not have issues with the replacement, cleaning or repair job. With proper work, your home’s masonry will last and will provide a pleasing aesthetic, both of which ensure a safer home and one with improved value.

 

Types Of Masonry Services We Provide

• Terracotta Repair
• Parapet Walls
• Chimney Rebuilding
• Lintels
• Shelf Angles Replacement
• Concrete Patching
• Caulking
• Welding

New Masonry Construction

• Brick
• Blue Stone
• Concrete
• Fire Pits
• Glass Blocks
• Indoor and Outdoor Fireplaces
• Limestone
• Natural and Cultured Stone

Masonry Restoration

• Masonry repair
• Tuckpointing
• Chimney Repair and Rebuild
• Efflorescence Removal
• Masonry Cleaning