Tuckpointing in Lafayette LA - solid new mortar where the old joints failed
Mortar crumbling or sinking out of your brick joints? We rake out the failed joints and pack them with mortar matched to your wall.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What is tuckpointing, and does my brick need it?
Tuckpointing in Lafayette, LA means raking the worn, crumbling mortar out of your brick joints and packing in new mortar, so the joints are full and solid again. The trade calls this work repointing, but it's the same job.
At K&D Lafayette Masonry and Concrete, we do this work across Lafayette, Broussard, Scott, Carencro, Youngsville and the other cities around it, and most calls start the same way, with mortar that's sandy, sunken or cracked while the brick still looks fine. The price comes down to how many joints have actually failed, how high and hard to reach the wall is, and how closely the old mortar has to be matched, because every joint gets raked and packed by hand. The schedule turns on the size of the job and on whether your city wants a permit first, which we check before we start. Your estimate tells you what I'd fix, what I'd skip and what it costs.
Is tuckpointing right for your brick?
Joints sunk back from the face
When mortar has worn back behind the brick edge, refilling those joints brings the wall back flush.
Mortar that crumbles to touch
If mortar turns to sand under your thumb, that joint has failed and needs repacking.
Cracks along the brick edges
Hairline cracks in the mortar or gaps between brick and mortar mean the joint has let go.
Older brick that's still solid
When the brick itself is still sound, new mortar in the worn joints is usually all the wall needs.
How we handle tuckpointing
I go over the wall joint by joint and mark the ones that are failing, then we rake out those joints and leave the sound ones alone, so you pay for the work your wall needs and nothing extra. Original joints in good shape are better than new ones anyway. We brush the dust out of each raked joint, mix mortar to match the old, pack it in by hand and tool the face to match the joints around it, then clean the brick and the site before we leave. Guidance for historic buildings says to find and fix whatever is wearing the mortar before repointing, so if I see something driving the damage, I'll tell you.
Tuckpointing often turns up bricks that are cracked or flaking, and those get brick repair before the new mortar goes in. When an older house needs more than joint work, masonry restoration plans the cleaning, repairs and repointing as one job. If you'd like the drive out front redone too, we also lay driveway pavers.
Spot tuckpointing
Most houses we see need this, because the wear sits in patches under windows, at corners or low on the wall. We redo those joints and leave the rest.
Full wall tuckpointing
When most of the joints on a wall have failed, repointing the whole face costs less in the long run than chasing patches. I'll only suggest it when the joints show it's needed.
Tuckpointing with brick replacement
If some bricks are cracked or spalled, we swap them out before repointing so the new joints have solid brick on both sides. It suits walls where the mortar and a few bricks failed together.
What happens when you call us for tuckpointing in Lafayette?
Call or send us photos
Call (337) 216-1882 or use the form, and send photos of the worn joints if you can. Tell us if your house is in a historic district, since that can add a step.
I look over every joint
I come out myself, go over the walls and tell you what I'd repoint and what I'd skip. You get a written estimate that shows which areas are in the job, so you know what you're paying for.
We sort out the permit
We check with your city before work starts and take care of any permit the job calls for. In Lafayette some permits need an application and review before they're issued, so the start date waits on that.
Our crew repoints the joints
Our crew does the work with me on site, and it's slow, noisy hand work, so expect some racket and dust while we're there. When we're done, we walk the finished wall together.
Picking the mortar for tuckpointing
Match the old mortar's strength or go softer.
Masonry guidance says new mortar should be about as strong as the original or weaker. Mortar that's harder than the old work can make the face of the brick spall, so it flakes and pops off, and then you're paying to replace brick that was fine before.
Older brick houses usually have softer mortar than the strong mixes sold today, so I look at what's in your joints before we mix anything. When you're comparing crews, ask each one how it will match the strength of your existing mortar. A stronger mix to make it last is the wrong answer for old brick.
Examples of masonry work
Look through these examples of brick, block and stone work to get a feel for joint styles, finishes and the range of masonry jobs.
Get a tuckpointing estimate for your brick
Send photos of the worn joints and let us know if your house is in a historic district. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free on-site estimate with no obligation.
Why Lafayette homeowners call K&D Lafayette Masonry and Concrete for tuckpointing
I write every estimate myself
I come out, look at your joints and write the estimate, and I'm on site running the crew when we do the work. The person who told you what the job needs is the one watching it get done.
Trained on inspected public work
I learned masonry on a municipal crew, where brick, block and walks had to pass inspection, and I started this business in 2020 to bring that care to homes. That habit shows in the parts of a job you can't see once we pack up.
Permits checked in your city
Whether you're in Lafayette, Broussard or another city nearby, we check with that city's permit office before work starts and take care of any permit the job calls for. You don't have to sort out the city side yourself.
Fully licensed and insured
We're fully licensed and insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. Call (337) 216-1882 or send us a message to get started.
Tuckpointing questions we hear
How much does tuckpointing cost in Lafayette, LA?
There's no set price, because it comes down to how many joints have failed and repointing is slow hand work on every one of them. A few patches under windows cost far less than a full wall, while tall walls that need scaffolding or soft old mortar that takes care to match add to it. I'll put a written figure on your wall after I look at it.
How do I know my brick needs tuckpointing?
Your joints need it when the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the brick face, crumbles, has holes, or shows hairline cracks or cracks between the brick and the mortar. Only those joints need work. Send us photos and I'll tell you which ones I'd redo.
How long does new mortar last after tuckpointing?
Mortar usually lasts about 25 to 50 years, while brick lasts about 100 years or more. That gap is why an older brick house can need its joints redone while the brick itself is still good.
Do I need a permit for tuckpointing in Lafayette?
It can need one, so we check before any work starts. Most construction work in Lafayette needs a permit before it begins, and we take care of any permit your job calls for. If your house is in a historic district, there's another approval to think about, which we cover below.
Who can bid a tuckpointing job over $7,500 in Louisiana?
A home improvement registrant or a licensed contractor has to bid and do any home job worth more than $7,500 and up to $50,000, under the rules of Louisiana's contractor licensing board. Jobs of $50,000 or more, or any job with structural work, take a licensed Residential Building Contractor. Ask any crew which one they hold before you sign.
How do I find a good tuckpointing contractor?
Ask to see repointing jobs a crew has already done, because a good bricklayer isn't always good at repointing. You can also ask them to repoint a small test spot on a part of the wall nobody sees, so you can judge the match before they touch the front.
Want me to look at your joints?
Call or send photos, and I'll come out, tell you what I'd fix and what I'd skip, then write it up.
Other work on brick homes
Tuckpointing in Lafayette and nearby cities
In Lafayette, the city's Development and Planning department handles permitting for construction, and we check your job with that office before we start. If your house sits in a historic preservation district, state law adds a step, because the district commission has to approve a certificate of appropriateness before a building there is altered or restored. That approval covers exterior features unless the commission's own rules say otherwise, so if you're in a district, hire a crew that asks about it before raking out a single joint. Tell us up front and we'll build it into the plan.
Most of the brick we work on around Lafayette is on houses where the walls are sound and the mortar has worn in patches, often under windows, at corners and near the ground. We see the same thing on houses in Broussard and Scott, and we handle it the same way.