Bricks, Masonry, Asphalt and Concrete - Advice for chimney/mortar cracks

The chimney has a lot of wear around the outside. The mortar (correct me if I wrong here) is fading and needs to be repointed (is that right?).

Can this be done by a rookie? Please advise.

Thanks.

"Fading" of mortar is not a reason to repoint the masonry, unless you just want it to look different.

Tuckpointing or repointing is meant to replace mortar that is severely cracked, loose or missing. It can be a DIY project.

Dick

The chimney mortar has substantial cracks and chips, I just wonder how long it can handle it.

What do you do to chip out the old and what do I use to fill it in with?

Thanks.

Just chip out the loose pieces. If you need to remove more you can grind out he extisting a little bit to place more mortar.

Go to a big box store and buy some Type N pre-mixed mortar. It contains the sand and cemenetitious materials (just add water). The easiest way to apply is with a mortar bag (a glorified cake icing bag) with a spout. Squeeze it into the joint. Wait a little while and tool the joint to compact the mortar and provide a smooth, durable surface. - You can get a better description on the DIY site - go to home and look for "tuckpointing", or just Google.

You can forget about the bag and use a pointing trowel if you are adventurous and can get the correct consistancy - it just takes a little trial and error.

Its really not hard - after all, the Romans did a good job without the net.

Dick

Just about every chimney I have worked on has spalded brick, this comes from water leaking down through the bricks and cracking do to freezing and thawing, The correct way to remove any mortar is to grind it out about 3/4 inch deep, wash away mortar dust, then point the mortar in using the correct tuckpointing tools. Tuckpointing a chimney can be very expensive because of the rigging that is mostly used such as scaffolding, renting a lift etc. If you want done right the first time, hire a professional, you will be glad you did. BrickTuckpointer@yahoo.com

i agree completly with tuckpointer except I would grind back deeper more like 1" to 1 1/2 deep