DEAR TIM: I’ve just placed an offer to purchase a two-bedroom house. It’s an older building, probably close to 70 or more years old. After placing the offer, I then took a closer look around the ...

INDIANAPOLIS – Do you know what “repointing” bricks means? By definition, it consists of “removing a portion of the deteriorated mortar and redoing the joints with new mortar.” Doing that basically ...

Q: When a blowing rain lashes my brick-veneer home, water streams down over the inside of my foundation in the basement. I thought brick was waterproof. What's happening? Is there a way to minimize or ...

Brick walkway or patio mortar joints need to be almost level with the brick tops to avoid water damage, as well as deter unwanted plant growth. Repairing the mortar joints between walkway or patio ...

The mortar joints between bricks and stones can become porous with age, allowing rainwater to penetrate to the inside. This can cause damp patches to appear on interior walls and ruin decorations. The ...

Brick and mortar is a solid building material, but it won't last forever. Here are the basics for "tuckpointing", the process of repairing and rebuilding a brick wall. The mortar and cement holding ...

Q: My 10-year-old house developed some cosmetic cracks in the mortar. I got some bids to have tuck-pointing work done and nearly gagged. I'm wondering about using a special caulk I found that's made ...

We may earn a commission from links on this page. As the weather starts to change, cracks in stone and paver walkways can begin to be more of a problem. Moisture can work its way into any cracks in ...

If properly designed and constructed, brick masonry can be highly durable and tends to demand little in the way of routine repairs. However, it is still important to conduct regular inspection of the ...

Question: I’ve just placed an offer to purchase a two-bedroom house. It’s an older building, probably close to 70 or more years old. After placing the offer, I then took a closer look around the ...