Restore deteriorated mortar joints and protect your brickwork from Ottawa's damaging freeze-thaw cycles before small cracks become costly structural repairs.
Repointing, also called tuckpointing, is the process of removing deteriorated mortar from between brick or stone joints and replacing it with fresh mortar. Mortar is sacrificial by design: it's softer than the surrounding masonry, which means it weathers and erodes first, protecting the harder brick or stone from damage. When that mortar fails, water enters the wall system and the real destruction begins.
In Ottawa, where we experience more than 60 freeze-thaw cycles per year near the critical 0°C threshold, deteriorated mortar joints are a serious problem. Water enters the joint, freezes, expands, and forces the surrounding masonry apart. What starts as a hairline crack can become a structural failure within a few seasons if left unaddressed.
Don't wait. Repointing is significantly less expensive than rebuilding a deteriorated wall section. Catching joint failure early is the difference between a routine maintenance job and a major masonry repair.
Proper repointing begins with careful removal of the old mortar, typically to a depth of at least ¾ inch, without damaging the surrounding brick or stone. This is precision work. We cut and rake joints by hand where necessary to protect the masonry face.
We then select mortar that matches the compressive strength, texture, and colour of the original as closely as possible. Using the wrong mortar, particularly a mix that's stronger than the brick, causes the brick face to spall rather than the joint, which is far more damaging. With 56 years of experience reading and matching mortar, we get this right.
Joints are packed in lifts, finished to the original profile, and allowed to cure properly. We finish the work clean and leave your property in better shape than we found it.
We service brick repointing projects throughout Ottawa and the surrounding region, including Kanata, Orleans, Gloucester, Barrhaven, Stittsville, and Rockland. Whether it's a single chimney, a full exterior wall, or a stone foundation, no project is too large or too small.
We never ask for an upfront deposit. We assess your project in person, provide a written quote, and complete the work to a standard we stand behind. That's our standard, not an exception.
