For over 30 years, Bruno's Tuckpointing has been serving customers in Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. Our work is performed with the highest standards of quality workmanship.

We provide a comprehensive evaluation of each project, including labor, materials and equipment, for commercial, industrial, institutional and residential customers.

Commercial Tuckpointing
Multi-Unit Buildings
Industrial Tuckpointing
Residential Tuckpointing
Institutional Tuckpointing

Our Services include:

Tuckpointing:

The placement of mortar around bricks which gives a more pleasing appearance. The old mortar in between the bricks is raked out with a special hand tool or grinder.The surface is then blasted with water to get rid of any residual mortar and grime.

While the bricks are still damp, a new mortar mix is applied. The mortar consists of sand, cement, a small amount of lime and several different oxides. All ingredients are carefully mixed to match the existing brick color to give a uniform finish. The new mortar covers up any unevenness or imperfections in the bricks and provides a clean finish ready for tuck pointing. The mortar is slightly raised from the joints in the brickwork to provide a flat surface for the "mortar" pointing finish.

While the bricks are still damp, a new mortar mix is applied. The mortar consists of sand, cement, a small amount of lime and several different oxides. All ingredients are carefully mixed to match the existing brick color to give a uniform finish. The new mortar covers up any unevenness or imperfections in the bricks and provides a clean finish ready for tuck pointing. The mortar is slightly raised from the joints in the brickwork to provide a flat surface for the "mortar" pointing finish.

Lintels:

A supporting wood or stone beam across the top of an opening, such as that of a window or door or fireplace.

Brick Repair - Falling Bricks - Loose Bricks - Water Leaks:

We match existing masonry mortar color exactly. We will remove all cracked and crumbling mortar joints and cracked brick, tuck pointing or injection-grouting them to insure that they are completely filled. When we are finished it will be virtually impossible to identify the areas of masonry brick repair.

Mortar:

Used as a bond in masonry or for covering a wall.

Waterproofing:

As odd as it may seem, water causes more damage to masonry chimneys than fire.

Several products have been developed specifically for use as waterproofing agents on masonry chimneys. These formulas are vapor permeable which means that they allow the chimney to breathe out, but not in. Thus water that has penetrated the chimney, or moisture that has originated from inside, is allowed to escape, while the waterproofing agent prevents water from entering from the outside.

Paint, or any non vapor permeable water sealer, should never be used as a waterproofing agent because it will trap moisture inside the chimney, accelerating deterioration.

Critical Reports:

Masonry Inspection:

All exposed masonry should be inspected for cracking, spalling, bowing (bulges vertically), sweeping (bulges horizontally), leaning, and mortar deterioration. Before beginning a detailed masonry inspection, determine which walls are load-bearing and which are not. Usually this can be done by examining the beams and joists in the buildings basement or crawl space or attic. Note also whether the walls are solid masonry or masonry cavity, or whether they are non-structural brick or stone veneer. The overall quality of the buildings construction, and often that of its neighborhood, will be a good indicator of the condition of its masonry.

Caulking & Sealant Work:

Bruno's performs installation of caulking joints in both new and existing work. Typically, in restoration work, the scope of work requires cutting out of existing work and replacement with a specified joint sealant. In new work, joint sealants generally fill the joints between masonry and non-masonry materials, around doors and fenestration, and expansion joints in masonry. Our employees and supervisors have extensive experience with caulking and joint sealant operations and can help you maintain quality while adhering to budgets and schedules, whether in historic restoration or in new work.

Facade Inspection:

The city of Chicago has façade inspection ordinances that require owners to regularly inspect certain types of buildings for unsafe conditions, movement, significant deterioration, and watertightness. Bruno's Tuckpointing, Inc. works with owners and managers in Chicago to develop programs to each buildings needs. We review plans and specifications to understand the building and focus surveys on problem areas.

We conduct hands on and visual inspections of each façade.We inspect and test materials to evaluate any needed repair. More details can be found at http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Buildings/Buildingcode/ExteriorRules

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