Brick and Tuckpointing Failures

I get many calls around springtime each year about brick deteriorating. Why are my brick faces falling off, popping off, spalling or deteriorating? No matter how you choose to word it, it usually looks the same, like the face of the brick just popped off.

Areas throughout your home or brick structure can deteriorate like this a few different ways.

Water Entry:

One reason is due to water entry into the material itself. Brick and masonry are “Breathable” materials (Meaning they will hold and release air and water) When water exists in brick and mortar throughout Freeze/thaw cycles, the water will expand and contract. When this kind of stress is put on the material, something has got to give, and it’s usually the mortar joints and occasionally, the brick itself. The mortar and faces of the brick are pushed out. (more…)