Caliber Hoover Concrete and Masonry
Request an estimate

Tuckpointing in Hoover AL - mortar joints that match your brick and keep water out

If your mortar joints are crumbling, cracking or worn back from the brick, we refill them with mortar matched to what's already there.

Request an estimate(205) 236-6688
Dark gray paver driveway with a light stone border in front of a white house with three arched garage doors.
  • Licensed and insured.
  • Free on-site estimates.
  • Replies within 1 business day.

Two kinds of tuckpointing we do

  • Plain repointing

    We rake out worn mortar down to sound material and pack the joint with new mortar matched to the old. This is what most brick homes need.

  • Decorative tuckpointed joints

    This is an older style. The joint is filled flush and colored like the brick, then a thin strip of contrasting mortar goes on to look like a fine joint.

Does my brick need tuckpointing, or can it wait?

Tuckpointing in Hoover, AL, also called repointing, means clearing out mortar joints that have worn, cracked or crumbled and filling them with new mortar, so your brick wall is sound and tight again.

Most people call after they notice sandy mortar at the foot of a wall, joints sunk back behind the brick face or cracks running through the mortar, and the first thing they want to know is whether it's urgent. Sometimes it can wait, and I'll tell you so. When it can't, the price comes down mostly to how much wall needs new joints, how high it reaches and how deep the old mortar is worn, while the schedule turns on how much wall there is and the weather. You get your own number from the estimate, after I've looked at the wall and measured it.

What our tuckpointing and brick work covers

The word tuckpointing gets used for two different finishes, so before I price anything we settle together which one your wall has now and which one you want.

  • Protecting what's below

    Before any mortar comes out, we cover plants, windows and your walk or driveway pavers so dust and mortar drop don't stain them.

  • Clearing out the old mortar

    We clear the joints by hand where the brick is soft, because power tools are faster but can nick the brick beside the joint.

  • Matching the mortar

    Masonry guidance calls for new mortar no stronger than the old, because a harder mix stresses the brick and can flake its face.

  • Packing and tooling joints

    We pack mortar in layers and tool each joint to the same shape as the rest of your house, so the repair blends in.

  • Brick swaps and cleanup

    If a brick is cracked or flaking, we handle it with brick repair, then wash mortar smears off the wall before we leave.

Why choose Caliber Hoover Concrete and Masonry

I learned masonry on a city crew, patching old brick on public buildings that had to pass inspection, and I run this business the same way. We match what's already on your house, we don't rush the parts nobody sees, and you'll know what you're paying for before we start.

Request an estimate

  • The owner runs your job on site

    I'm the one who measures and prices your wall, and I'm on site with our crew while the work gets done, so nothing gets lost in between.

  • Known for older brick since 2021

    We started this business in 2021, and repointing and repair on older brick is what we're best known for, so worn and crumbling joints are familiar work.

  • Licensed and insured, priced in plain terms

    We're licensed and insured, and I explain what each part of the estimate covers and why before any work starts, so you know what you're paying for.

What happens when you call us about tuckpointing in Hoover?

Every repointing job starts with your wall, because the finish, the mortar and how much needs doing all come from what's already there, and you decide what happens after the estimate.

Request an estimate

or call (205) 236-6688

  1. Call or send a message

    Call (205) 236-6688 or use the form with a few photos of the worn joints and your home's age, and we'll get back to you.

  2. I come out and look

    I come out myself to look at the wall, measure it and talk through what you want done and what can wait.

  3. Your estimate in writing

    Then you get your estimate in writing. If you hire us, we handle what the city or county needs and walk the finished wall with you.

Low light-stone retaining wall forms a raised bed around a leafless tree beside a brick house and driveway.

Get a free estimate on tuckpointing and brick repair in Hoover

Tell us where the house is, how old it is and what the joints look like, with a few photos if you have them. We reply within one business day to set up a free on-site estimate, with no obligation.

(205) 236-6688

Tuckpointing questions from Hoover homeowners

How do I know if my brick mortar needs repointing?

Masonry industry guidance says it's time to repoint when the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the brick face, or when it crumbles, has holes or shows cracks, including cracks between the brick and the mortar. Run a key along a few joints near the ground and at the corners, since that's where wear usually shows first. If you're not sure what you're looking at, send us photos and I'll tell you what I see.

Do small cracks in brick mortar need to be fixed right away?

Small mortar cracks on their own may not need fixing right away, because cavity and veneer brick walls can manage some added moisture. Crumbling or deeply worn joints are a different matter, so I look at the whole wall before telling you whether the cracks can wait.

How much does tuckpointing cost in Hoover, AL?

The cost of tuckpointing in Hoover depends on your wall, so I give you a number only after I've measured it in person. Beyond how much wall there is and how high it reaches, the decorative finish takes more time than plain repointing, soft brick that has to be cleared by hand adds labor, and any cracked brick we replace adds to the total. Doing the worst walls now and letting the sound ones wait is one way to keep it down.

How long does tuckpointing last on a brick house?

Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the brick itself may well last more than 100, according to national masonry guidance. That makes repointing upkeep you'll likely do more than once over the life of a brick home, while the brick stays right where it is. Matching the new mortar to the old is a big part of getting that full life out of the joints.

Who is allowed to do tuckpointing in Hoover, AL?

The City of Hoover requires every general contractor and subcontractor to be licensed by the city and to hold any required state license. On the state side, the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board defines a residential home builder as someone doing repair or improvement work on a home that runs over $10,000, labor and materials counted together, unless the work is outside the board's jurisdiction. Before you hire anyone, ask about both.

How do I choose a mason for tuckpointing?

Ask to see repointing work they've done before, because a good bricklayer isn't always good at repointing. You can also have them work a section of wall that's out of sight first, so you can judge the joints before they start on the front of the house. And ask how they plan to match your old mortar.

Tuckpointing in Hoover and the cities around it

In Hoover, the city requires a residential building permit before any construction activity, and its list names new construction, additions and remodels without mentioning tuckpointing, so check with the city about your own job. Before we start, I check with the city or county office for your address, and when a permit is required we handle it with them.

Rain is the other local thing that shapes a repointing job. Climate notes for the Birmingham area describe plenty of rain spread fairly evenly through the year, with October the driest month, so we plan around wet days because fresh mortar shouldn't take a soaking before it sets. We're based in Hoover, which runs across both Jefferson and Shelby Counties, and we work across the Birmingham area, where the same older brick shows up on jobs in Homewood and Mountain Brook.