One of the most common questions people have when preparing to tuckpoint (replacing deteriorated mortar between bricks) is how to make the new mortar look similar to the “sound” mortar already in the joints. While professionals may make their own mortar mix (from cement or lime, plus sand other ingredients), most homeowners doing small tuckpointing projects will find it easiest to buy a bag of pre-mixed “mortar mix” from their local hardware or building supply store. You just combine it with water according to the package directions until the mixture is creamy, but not drippy – a consistency similar to oatmeal.

However, mortar mix is gray in color, rather than the reddish, brown, or yellow hue found on many houses in Northeastern Ohio. How do you match the mortar color on your home?

Mortar paint tints, available at most hardware stores, can be added when you are blending your mortar mix and water. Producing the right color may take a combination of tints (and will ultimately be more of an art than a science). Mix up a small amount of tinted mortar as a test, apply it to an inconspicuous place on your house, and let it dry. If the color is not satisfactory, adjust the tint combination and try another test batch. You may not be able to match the existing mortar exactly, but you want a color similar enough that the repaired areas won’t be noticeable.

You also want to pay attention to how the original mortar was finished. Note the depth of the joints created by the bricklayer, and any special ways the mortar was “tooled” (smoothed out with a tuckpointing trowel after it has begun to set up). Again, your goal is to match the existing joints as closely as possible.

Homeowners who want to learn more are encouraged to sign up for our hands-on “Tuckpointing” workshop at 7 pm on Tuesday, May 19th. Reservations are required; email pwetherill@hrrc-ch.org, or call (216) 381-6100, ext. 16.