Glossary of Tuckpointing & Masonry Terms:
Tuckpointing—An ancient construction or building arts practice that uses two contrasting colors of mortar in the joints between bricks, stones, or other building materials to give the impression that very fine joints have been made. Tuckpointing or tuck pointing is also referred to as pointing or repointing. Most Americans understand Tuckpointing as a building trade or skill involving using mortar and bricks to construct structures, including homes and chimneys.
Pointing—the task and work of either finishing masonry joints or correcting defects.
Repointing is placing wet mortar into cut or raked joints to repair deteriorating mortar in existing joints (typically bricks).
Masonry—A term that refers to a durable form of construction that utilizes stone, bricks, glass blocks, adobe, and other hard materials bound and adhered with mortar to form structures from walls, to chimneys, to homes and commercial buildings. Bricks and stones are still some of the most durable building materials used for thousands of years in every part of the globe. The quality of materials and workmanship determine durability.
Skimming—The unethical and unprofessional practice of performing shoddy tuckpointing work by failing to remove the worn and crumbling mortar and concealing the issue by applying mortar over the worn and weakened mortar.
Mortar—Regarding tuckpointing and construction, mortar is a plastic building material made of cement, lime, gypsum plaster, sand, and water. The liquid material bonds the joints and transforms from plastic or “soft” material into a hardened material as it dries. The hardened mortar binds the bricks, stones, and other building materials.
Mason—An individual or construction professional that performs masonry, the art of binding bricks, stones, glass blocks, etc., together with mortar to render structures. Masons typically apprentice and learn building arts from experienced masons.
Trowel—A small handheld tool with a flat, pointed blade used to apply mortar to bricks or plaster to walls or other surfaces. Trowels are used by tuck pointers to “point” and apply mortar.
Lintel-A fireplace lintel is a structural element used in traditional masonry fireplaces to support the weight of the brick or stone above the fireplace opening. It is typically a horizontal beam or stone that spans across the top of the fireplace opening, providing support for the masonry and distributing the weight of the chimney above it to the sides.
We hope this glossary of tuckpointing and masonry terms helps you, the educated consumer, understand these terms and empowers you to make better decisions, especially regarding St. Louis home improvements and repairs.