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David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI
Senior Member
Username: david_axt

Post Number: 738
Registered: 03-2002
Posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 05:51 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

What is the difference between the following masonry restoration terms:
1) Pointing
2) Repointing
3) Tuckpointing
Richard Baxter, AIA, CSI
Senior Member
Username: rbaxter

Post Number: 30
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 06:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

I’ve had the same question for a long time, but oddly enough, I didn’t search out the answer until someone else asked it.

Here’s the MASTERSPEC definition, which pretty much defines all three terms:

Repointing: Removal of existing joint mortar or sealant, and filling (pointing) the joint with fresh mortar or sealant; also called tuckpointing.


Here’s the RS Means website construction dictionary definitions for those terms (as well as a few other related ones I thought you might be interested in):

Pointing: (1) the finishing of joints in a masonry wall. (2) The material with which joints in masonry are finished.

Repointing: See pointing.

Tuck Pointing (also called Tuck and Pat Pointing): A method of refinishing old mortar joints. The loose mortar is dug out and the tuck is filled with fine mortar which is left projecting slightly or with a fillet of putty or lime.

Collaring: The pointing of masonry or tile joints under overhangs.

Masonry Pointing: Troweling mortar into a masonry joint after the masonry units have been laid.

Tuck: A recess in a horizontal masonry joint formed by raking out mortar in preparation for tuckpointing.
(Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
Posted on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 - 06:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Good document on this subject from BIA.
www.bia.org/resources/brick briefs/repointing(tuckpointing)brick masonry

John Bufford, PE, Acme Brick Co.
jbufford@brick.com
David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI
Senior Member
Username: david_axt

Post Number: 739
Registered: 03-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 19, 2006 - 01:55 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Glossary of Masonry Terminology, Northwest Masonry Guide, Masonry Institute of Washington (MIWA)
(http://www.masonryinstitute.com/guide/glossary/ )

Pointing: Troweling mortar into a joint after masonry units are laid. See also tuckpointing.

Repointing or Tuckpointing: Replacing mortar in masonry joints.

Tuck Pointing. The filling in with fresh mortar of removed defective mortar joints in masonry.


Brick Institute of America (BIA), Tech Note #2 Glossary of Terms as Related to Brick Masonry
(http://www.brickinfo.org/html/frmset_thnt.htm )

Pointing: Troweling mortar into a joint after masonry units are laid.

Repointing: (no definition given)

Tuck Pointing: The filling in with fresh mortar of cut-out or defective mortar joints in masonry.


National Park Service, Preservation Brief #2 - Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings (http://www.cr.nps.gov/hps/TPS/briefs/brief02.htm )

Pointing: (no definition given)

Repointing: also known simply as "pointing" or--somewhat inaccurately-- "tuck pointing"*, is the process of removing deteriorated mortar from the joints of a masonry wall and replacing it with new mortar.

Tuckpointing: technically describes a primarily decorative application of a raised mortar joint or lime putty joint on top of flush mortar joints.


Masonry Advisory Council
(http://www.maconline.org/tech/maintenance/point1/point1.html )

Point - to place plastic mortar into joints to correct defects or to completely fill joints in newly laid masonry.

Repoint - to place plastic mortar into cut or raked joints to correct defective mortar joints in masonry.

Tuckpoint - (1) to point masonry with a flush mortar joint that approximates the color of the masonry units and a mortar of contrasting color that is shaped into a thin strip. (2) see repoint.
David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI
Senior Member
Username: david_axt

Post Number: 740
Registered: 03-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 19, 2006 - 01:57 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Does anybody have a copy of ASTM E2260 - Guide for Repointing (Tuckpointing) Historic Masonry that they would be willing to send me?
Anonymous
 
Posted on Thursday, October 19, 2006 - 06:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Somewhere else on this forum, someone asked for a copy of an ASTM standard and the response was it's copyrighted material that cannot be reproduced, distributed, etc. You should not (at least publicly) ask anyone to do so in violation of copyright. Yes, ASTMs costs are ridiculous and maybe that drives some to circumvent the legalities (ala music?), but respected professionals should refrain...after all, we would be "upset" to say the least if an architect "reused" our specs on another project without original author's consent...and added compensation...right?
David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI
Senior Member
Username: david_axt

Post Number: 742
Registered: 03-2002
Posted on Friday, October 20, 2006 - 01:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

Anon,

I understand and appreciate your concern.

I pay $900 a year, every year, for 4 large volumes of ASTM Standards in Building Codes. I find more and more that those books have every standard that I could possibly use, except for the ones that I really need.

I think that it is a waste of paper for ASTM to keep reprinting the same standards year after year especially if the standards have not changed. I sure wish that they would go to a subscription based platform where a subscriber only gets the updated standards.

I checked out their online subscriptions, but those are almost $5000! It is hard for me to convince the office to pay for the books every year since I am practically the only one in the office who looks at them.

I will probably have to break down and pay $30 for the 4 pages just to take a look at it and see if I need it.
Ronald L. Geren, RA, CSI, CCS, CCCA, MAI
Senior Member
Username: specman

Post Number: 347
Registered: 03-2003
Posted on Friday, October 20, 2006 - 01:23 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post

ASTM has a limited download option of 25, 50, and 100 standards from their entire standards collection. If there are only a few standards you need, then this might be what you need.

For the 25 standard download, the cost is $625, and the 50 standard download is $1,050--only $150 more than the printed set for Building Codes. This way, you only get what you need, and you can update a standard only when the standard are actually updated, which is approximately every three years. The "Plus" option for each type of subscription, which costs more, gives you access to all the historical and inactive standards.

If you're a member, which costs $75, you get a 10% discount, plus their "Standardization News" magazine. So, for the 50 standard download, you'll get your money's worth and then some.

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