Preservation Brief 2, Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings

Summary

This is number two of 42 preservation briefs prepared by the Technical Preservation Services of the National Park Service. This brief focuses on repointing mortar joints in historic masonry buildings.

A good repointing job is meant to last, at least 30 years, and preferably 50- 100 years. Shortcuts and poor craftsmanship result not only in diminishing the historic character of a building, but also in a job that looks bad, and will require future repointing sooner than if the work had been done correctly. The mortar joint in a historic masonry building has often been called a wall's "first line of defense." Good repointing practices guarantee the long life of the mortar joint, the wall, and the historic structure. Although careful maintenance will help preserve the freshly repointed mortar joints, it is important to remember that mortar joints are intended to be sacrificial and will probably require repointing some time in the future. Nevertheless, if the historic mortar joints proved durable for many years, then careful repointing should have an equally long life, ultimately contributing to the preservation of the entire building.

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Cultural Resource Office, Joint Base San Antonio

Contributor(s): Anne E. Grimmer

Repository(s): Fort Sam Houston

Prepared By(s): Technical Preservation Services, Heritage Preservation Services Program, National Park Service

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