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Anchorstone Reno Concrete and Masonry
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Tuckpointing in Reno NV - fresh mortar joints that keep your brick sound

Crumbling, gapped or cracked mortar between your bricks? We cut out the worn joints and refill them with a mix that suits your brick.

Request an estimate(775) 447-1254
Gray pavers form a broad driveway and walkway in front of a blue house, with a black Jeep parked by the garage.

What does tuckpointing do for a brick house?

Tuckpointing, which masons also call repointing, means cutting out the worn mortar between your bricks and filling the joints with fresh mortar, and it's how we keep brick walls in Reno sound long after the original mortar has worn out.

Most calls start with a homeowner noticing sandy mortar at the foot of a wall, or joints that sit back from the brick faces instead of flush with them. The price and the schedule both turn mostly on how much wall needs new joints, how high we have to work and whether some bricks need replacing too, plus any permit your job needs, which we'd handle. If the worn joints are up on a chimney, the work often goes together with chimney repair. At the estimate I'll walk the wall with you and lay out what we'd do and why, so you see your own figure before anything starts.

Why Reno homeowners call us for tuckpointing

I started this business in 2023 to work on homes people already live in, and I want you to understand your own wall when we leave, not just like how it looks.

  • The owner on every job

    I look at your wall, write the estimate myself and stay on site with our crew through the work.

  • Licensed and fully insured

    We're licensed and fully insured, so you aren't carrying the risk of a crew working on your walls.

  • Plain talk about what can wait

    If a crack can wait or only part of a wall needs work, I'll tell you that plainly.

  • Known for repointing and brick repair

    Careful repointing and brick repair is the work we're best known for, mostly on older brick homes.

  • Satisfaction guaranteed on every job

    It's the promise we make on every tuckpointing job, from a few chimney joints to a whole house.

How we handle tuckpointing on your house

The right approach depends on your brick, the age of the house and how much of the wall is worn, so I look at all three before suggesting anything.

  • Old mortar cleared by hand

    Good tuckpointing is patient joint work, so we clear old mortar by hand wherever we can, the way you'd scrape paint off trim you want to keep instead of sanding through it. Grinders and saws are faster, but they can chip the brick edges beside the joint, and those edges are what make the new joints look crisp.

  • A mix that's softer than your brick

    New mortar should be weaker than the brick, because a stronger mix can make the brick faces spall, or flake off. Think of the joint like a fuse that's cheap to replace, so it should be the part that gives, and I'll show you how our mix compares with your brick before we start.

  • A test patch before the whole wall

    We're glad to do a small test patch in a hidden spot, like behind a downspout or around the side of the house. That way you can judge the color, the joint shape and our work before we take on the whole wall.

  • When bricks need more than new joints

    If some bricks are cracked or loose, we take care of them as brick repair as part of the job, because pointing around a bad brick just hides the problem. And if a worn front drive is on your list too, we also lay driveway pavers.

What happens when you call about tuckpointing in Reno?

We plan the work around your house and your schedule, so you know who's coming, what we're doing and why before anyone picks up a chisel.

  1. You get in touch

    Call (775) 447-1254 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set up a time for me to come see the wall.

  2. I look with you

    I come out myself, look at the joints with you and explain what I see, including anything that can safely wait.

  3. Your estimate

    You get an estimate that lays out what we'd do and why, so you can weigh it on your own time.

  4. Work and walkthrough

    If you go ahead, we sort out any permit, protect your home and yard, do the work, then walk you through the finished joints.

Questions about a step? Call and talk it through.

(775) 447-1254

Tuckpointing questions we hear in Reno

How do I know my brick needs tuckpointing?

Your brick needs tuckpointing when the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the face, is crumbling, has gaps or voids, or shows hairline cracks or cracks between the brick and the mortar. A wall showing any of those signs is ready for the work. Send us a photo and I'll tell you what I see.

Can cracked mortar wait, or does it need fixing right away?

Minor cracks often can wait, because cracked mortar isn't always a reason for immediate repair. Any crack can let more water into a wall, but many walls, such as cavity and veneer walls, can handle the extra moisture from small ones. I'll tell you plainly whether yours can wait or whether it's time.

How long does new mortar last after tuckpointing?

Mortar lasts roughly 25 to 50 years, while the brick around it lasts about 100 years or more. That gap is the whole reason tuckpointing exists, since the joints wear out long before the brick does and renewing them keeps the brick going.

How much does tuckpointing cost in Reno?

Tuckpointing is priced on your wall, so I can't give you an honest number until I've seen it. Doing only the sections that are worn keeps it down, while a whole house, high work on a chimney or second story, an older house that needs a softer mix, or cracked bricks that have to come out push it up. I'll give you your own figure on site.

How do I choose the right mason for tuckpointing in Reno?

Look at a mason's past repointing jobs, not just their brickwork, because an excellent bricklayer isn't always skilled at repointing. You can also ask to see their work on a hidden section of your wall first, which is the test patch we offer.

Does an older brick house in Reno need a different mortar for tuckpointing?

Yes, houses from the early 1900s or older need more care in picking and mixing the mortar. Older mortars made without portland cement are far weaker than modern ones, so the new mix has to suit them. Tell us roughly when your house was built when you get in touch.

Tuckpointing in Reno and the cities around it

The City of Reno says most construction and building projects need a building permit, so whether your tuckpointing job needs one is worth settling before we start. Applications go in online through the city's ONE portal, where you can also check status and pay fees, and the city's Development Services Department answers permit questions. When your job needs a permit, we find out which office covers your address and handle the application before work starts, and if you're not sure, we'll help you ask the right office.

Older brick homes are a big share of what we work on. Local emergency planners have mapped clusters of unreinforced masonry, brick built without steel tied through it, in Reno, Sparks and Washoe, and describe those buildings as highly vulnerable to earthquakes. That's a bigger question than mortar joints, but it's worth knowing if you own an older brick building. We're based in Reno and see the same worn joints on older brick in Sparks and Carson City, and if your city isn't listed, ask us.

Ask Anchorstone about your worn joints

Call (775) 447-1254 or use the form, and I'll come look at your mortar while it's still a joint job and not a brick job.

Request an estimate(775) 447-1254