Chimney Repair
We repoint chimneys and repair or replace cracked crowns. When the top is too far gone, we rebuild it from the roofline in brick or stone veneer.
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Tuckpointing repairs cracked or crumbling mortar joints in brick and stone walls. We grind out the failed mortar and repoint the joints with new mortar matched to the old. Steven Rigg Masonry does this work on house walls, stone foundations, steps and facades around Mechanicsburg.
The first sign is often sand below a wall or a gap where mortar used to be. Sound joints keep water out of the wall, and that protects the brick itself. We serve homes and small commercial buildings as a masonry contractor in Mechanicsburg and across the Harrisburg area. For a chimney, see chimney repointing, which also covers crowns and rebuilds.
Tell us about the chimney, wall, steps or patio and where it is. We look at the job and put the quote in writing.
In everyday use, tuckpointing and repointing mean the same job. The failed mortar comes out, and new mortar goes in. The National Park Service notes that, strictly speaking, tuckpointing names a decorative raised joint.
The usual signs are crumbling mortar, cracked joints, loose bricks or stones, and damp spots on inside walls. A gutter or downspout that soaks the wall needs fixing first, or the mortar keeps failing. Cracks that run through the bricks themselves call for brick repair before the repointing.
Freeze-thaw is hard on mortar here. NOAA's 30-year normals for the Harrisburg area count about 100 nights a year at or below freezing. Only about 17 days a year stay at or below freezing all day, so most freezes thaw by afternoon. Water in a cracked joint expands as it freezes, and each cycle pries the crack wider.
We grind the failed mortar out of each joint. The Park Service's repointing guide puts the minimum depth at two to two and a half times the joint's width. On most brick, that is about half an inch to an inch deep. A shallow fill has little to grip and tends to fall out.
Mortar matching comes next. Sand gives mortar most of its color and texture, so the match starts with the sand. The new mortar should be softer than the brick and no harder than the old mortar. On older brick, that usually means a lime-rich mix.
Deep joints get filled in thin layers, each one firm before the next. Layers cut down on shrinkage as the mortar hardens. The last layer is tooled to match the shape of the old joints.
Census Bureau estimates show about one in three homes in the borough of Mechanicsburg was built before 1940. In the city of York it is about half, and in Harrisburg more than four in ten. Before the late 1800s, mortar was mostly lime and sand. Portland cement did not come into common use until the early 1900s.
Mortar that is harder than the brick can do lasting damage. The brick takes the stress, and its face cracks or flakes off. Carlisle's historic district guide calls bagged Type N or Type S mix too strong for old brick and stone. It also asks for a color test first, since mortar often changes color as it cures.
We repoint brick walls and facades on homes and small commercial buildings. Old stone foundations need a soft mortar too, and a basement that still leaks may need a waterproofing contractor. Steps that have heaved or settled often need a rebuild, which is part of our walkways and steps work.
Call or text for a written quote. We work about 40 miles around Mechanicsburg across South Central Pennsylvania.
(717) 608-2175From the first call or text to the finished work, here is how it goes.
Call or text (717) 608-2175 and tell us about the job and the town it is in. Text photos if you have them.
We come out to see the masonry and what caused the damage, like water getting in or ground that settled. For new work, we go over the plan and the materials with you.
You get a written quote that spells out the work. Once you say yes, we set a start date with you.
Repairs start with grinding out failed mortar or taking down loose brick. New work starts at the footing or the base, and then we lay the masonry on it. Mortar work follows the weather.
We clean the new masonry and the work area. Then we go over the finished job with you.
Common questions about tuckpointing around Mechanicsburg and the Harrisburg area. If yours is not here, call or text and ask.
We repoint chimneys and repair or replace cracked crowns. When the top is too far gone, we rebuild it from the roofline in brick or stone veneer.
Learn More
We repair cracked and spalling brick, loose steps, rusted lintels and damaged block and stone. We find the cause first, then match the repair to the wall.
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We build brick paver and flagstone patios on a compacted stone base with firm edging. Each one is pitched so rain runs away from the house.
Learn MoreWe work in brick, block and stone. A job that mixes them, like a block wall with a stone face, takes one call.
We fix loose brick and failed mortar joints, and we rebuild worn chimneys. New work covers brick porches and columns, block foundation walls and stone veneer.
We look at the job before we put a price on it. Then you get the quote in writing, with the work spelled out.
Mechanicsburg sits at the center of our service area. Harrisburg, Carlisle, Hershey, York, Lebanon and Gettysburg are part of it too.
Real reviews of our masonry work, 3 reviews on Google.
Fastest company to get back to me, as well as educate me on the process behind building up a brick step up to the front door. I found that very beneficial, and added a sense of security and i always stand behind anyone who is that confident in their work, as well as going above and beyond!!!
Efficient, quick, and on time, rain played a factor but these guys didn’t let that affect them, stayed on the timeline they gave me and crushed it, the work speaks for itself
Steven got us scheduled very quickly and gave us a quote! He was very honest about the work we needed done and pointed us in the right direction for how it should be done. The finished project looked great! We would definitely recommend Steven and are very happy with his work. Thank you Steven!
Tuckpointing vs repointing on Pennsylvania brick. What each word means, how masons judge failed joints, why old brick needs soft mortar and when to call.
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Chimney repair cost in Pennsylvania: published market ranges for chimney repointing and crown repair, plus what a rebuild from the roofline runs.
Read more →Tell us what needs building or fixing and the town it is in, and text us photos if you like. Call or text (717) 608-2175 or use the form, and we will get back to you.
Tell us about the chimney, wall, steps or patio and where it is. We look at the job and put the quote in writing.