How to Repoint Brick Steps | Ask This Old House

In this video, Ask This Old House mason Mark McCullough helps a homeowner identify the culprit behind her cracking, front brick steps, and then repoints them using the correct material.
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Mason Mark McCullough helps a homeowner fix her childhood home’s front brick steps. When the steps started forming hairline cracks a few years ago, the family hired a mason to come and repoint them. Afterwards, they water•sealed them once a year to prevent cracking but to no avail. Mark sees the problems straight away.
Time: 4 to 6 hours
Cost: $30 to $40, not including tools
Skill Level: Moderate
Tools:
Tuck pointing grinder [amzn.to/3dikxN5]
Trowel [amzn.to/3mYnLc5]
Flat jointer [amzn.to/3tke0qU]
Brush [amzn.to/3a8Ugiw]
Shopping List:
Mixing tub [amzn.to/32hMKNI]
Grout bag [amzn.to/3dgK612]
Type N mortar [amzn.to/2RBKH5a]
Steps:
1. Cut out all the masonry joints with a grinder. Remove mortar to a depth of ¾ inch.
a. The job can be extremely dusty so Mark used a masonry grinder with a vacuum attachment that connects directly to his HEPA vac. It’s also possible to use an angle grinder and vacuum as you go.
2. Start with the horizontal lines first. When you do the vertical ones after, you’ll create a pocket and feel the blade stop cutting before you hit the brick.
3. Mix the mortar.
a. Type S mortar was used previously, much harder and structural than what the bricks needed. It is the reason why the hairline cracks formed. Type N mortar is what should’ve been used and what Mark is using. It is strong but flexible enough to allow for the bricks to expand and contract during the freeze/thaw cycle.
b. You’ll want the mortar wetter than normal if you’re using the grout bag technique so it comes out easier. But still mix small amounts of water in at a time• you can always add more water but you can’t take the water out once it’s in there.
4. Put the mixed mortar in the grout bag.
5. Squeeze mortar into the joint, like icing a cake with a piping bag.
6. Follow with a flat jointer, pressing the mortar into the joints.
7. Lightly brush the excess mortar off the brick.
8. Run the flat jointer over the mortar to slick the joint. This will ensure that it is sealed and weather proof.
a. By doing this you do not have to water seal the stairs. When horizontal surfaces get water sealed, all the water stays on the surface of the material. This can be extremely dangerous and can cause someone to slip or fall, especially in the winter.
Where to find it?
To grind out the old mortar, Mark used a 1775E Tuck Pointing Grinder [amzn.to/3dikxN5] with a 9 gallon dust extractor HEPA vacuum with automatic cleaning [thd.co/3uK5ilY], which are both manufactured by Bosch Tools [www.boschtools...]. Using a grinder with dust collection helps keep silica dust down, which makes the job a lot safer.
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From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show, Ask This Old House answers the steady stream of home improvement questions asked by viewers across the United States. Covering topics from landscaping to electrical to HVAC and plumbing to painting and more. Ask This Old House features the experts from This Old House, including general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram, and host Kevin O’Connor. Ask This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment-your home.
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How to Repoint Brick Steps | Ask This Old House
/ thisoldhouse

[@kevinclayton1974]

Decades later and they are still number one in home improvement television. I dont know how they still find ways to create new content. TOH is my all time favorite show ever. Good episode!

[@verygoodboy2688]

The home owner was great in this. Really good chemistry with her and mark on camera, made it fun to watch

[@bg147]

She was fun and positive. Nice work on those steps.

[@Mao2187]

A homeowner that actually participated! Great job Mark and Mikayla.

[@brianschnurr3254]

Wow, she was fantastic, thought she was a part of the team!

[@ghstpper180]

4:38 Makalah “ouch”

[@kashfortheking]

Use type N mortar for brick (homes). Thanks for the explanations on mortar types.

[@juliebarber9898]

"I'm gonna come behind you with a tool" 🤣

[@michaelmayton2300]

Her hair next to that saw is a big no no. If her hair got caught she would have no time to react and be all done for the day. Ladies, keep long hair and loose hanging clothing away from spinning tools or else they will get you!! really badly!

[@joedmac78]

Great job on describing mortar type. Wish there were more on how to determine which one to use

[@Lando1020]

Fun fact: Letters for identifying mortars is every other letter from " MASON WORK" MSNOK. M is strongest K is weakest

[@TheDeerein15]

Really enjoyed this editing. TOH on top of the game yet again.

[@rhettbrian7258]

i know I am kind of randomly asking but does anybody know a good website to watch newly released series online?

[@mosheleland5104]

@Rhett Brian I use flixzone. You can find it by googling :)

[@simonsonjh]

Thanks for the mortar protocols.

[@edman2740]

The combination recipes were just gold !!! I'm about to level a floor on my house (brick and mortar) could anyone give me a recommendation for a recipe ???

[@moosecrossing]

The sand changed layout between 8:48 and 8:58... 🤔

[@jasonderan7678]

Great job on those steps and mark is a really smart mason. Great job guys !!!!

[@RangerCaptain11A]

"you guys did a great job" she said at 6:28 i thought it was her and mark, not a crew.

[@jacob60617]

Wow great job. She did amazing

[@alphawolf97]

I'm been missing these type of videos. Where the are working and demonstrating how to do it. Instead of just explainkng what someone else is doing

[@afa6361]

Excellent video

[@bobbykleiven3299]

What is the best mortar more laying stone veneer on a concrete wall?

[@jeffbrown1702]

Can you advise what type of grinder and blade is used for this project and where to buy one and the cost?

[@MrBroomy]

It would be good to know about how much time did that take from start to finish? Also, my steps need tucked on the vertical brick joints as well; i.e. the joints you'd did not do. Would you do the same process on those bricks? I have seen videos where they moisten the brick before they added the mortar. Is that necessary? Finally, what if you get some overspill of the mortar on the brick. How would you take the excess mortar off? Where do you get the icing bag?

[@jeremywagley8514]

Coming from a metal shop she really needs to tie up that hair the next time uses anything with a motor. Just a heads up.

[@donaldlee6760]

I find it amusing that I hired a company that sent their "professional" mason to repair a small section of brick facade wall (not structural) that I hit with my car. The mason used Type S, which I learned later is the wrong type. I later fixed a much larger section of my brick facade wall myself and knew that I need Type N. When I compared my work to the professional mason's work, I regretted being too scared to DIY to begin with because I had no previous mason experience and thought the project was way above my skill level. I think one issue with hiring a pro in the San Francisco Bay area is that masons here typically do not speak English as a first language or are allowed to work legally in the USA, and therefore masons with a very high skill level, such as is common in England or at Mark McCullough's level, simply cannot charge an appropriate rate commensurate with their high skill if most mason's make less than a fast-food worker's salary.

[@abbyiyer2011]

In many videos s is used for structural walls or vertical walls which ur contractor used. For floor or flat level it is N.

[@donaldlee6760]

@@abbyiyer2011 - you are correct - type S is for structural walls. Before starting my DIY brick facade repair I called QuiKrete tech support and got a detailed lesson on the many types of mortars - K, M, S, O, N and the best application use of each. To add to my previous post, I believe the contractor used a less appropriate mortar type simply because Home Depot was the closest store and Home Depot in my area doesn't stock type N. It might also be because he wasn't as aware of the subtle differences between types K/M/S/O/N too. My nearby Lowes does carry it though. My contractor was actually at my home to repair a concrete patio which is why he didn't have bags of mortar in his work truck. I'm sure the contractor likely only shops at HD or Lowes for these little one-off trips. In the industrial area of my town we have lots of specialty businesses that cater just to contractors.

[@abbyiyer2011]

@@donaldlee6760 makes sense. But it also a good experience that made you. DIY er🙂

[@billporter8010]

Mike Haduck used Type S masonry cement in his video "BRICK WALL REPAIR (Mike Haduck)". He's in a colder climate and tends to use more portland rich mortars.

[@johnp82]

"Yeah you can get closer". "Yeah, I know I can."

[@travisallen8158]

Times have really advanced. I've never seen a grinder with a vaccum attached. I thought type S was the right choice for strength but .

[@McLeonden]

Please list the tools you used. Thanks!

[@HarryLevinson]

Thanks for the video. What tool did you use between the short ends of the bricks? They seem to small for that 4" grinder.

[@TheArfdog]

TOH doesn’t skimp on the technical stuff which is why they’ve won Emmy’s.

[@danmar007]

I assume you can use the same techniques for the brick on your house?

[@TheFritoNinja]

Was this done by a new editor? Or new style? Either way, nice job!

[@coreysgmail7261]

Hi My block wall has crack in it , size of a quarter or half dollar. I wanted to put cement in it to close the hole. Someone told me to use 2 parts Portland cement and one part sand and trowel it in. It’s in a covered area so pretty is not a factor. Is the mixture correct?

[@sethbrandenburg941]

That's a heavy cement to sand ratio. Most mortar recipes call for three parts sand to one part cement. You can find a lot of premix bags that will have "Type S" on them, that's a good strong mixture of Portland and lime as well as the sand being incorporated already.

[@danmar007]

"good point..."

[@MrKyleDD]

I swear this is 'Anna' from a video I just watched about a driveway drain

[@kevinclayton1974]

I was taught to remember the types of mortar by the word MASON... MaSON....

[@jamiewatkinson4123]

Pointing job this size how much $1,500

[@edwardcomiskey6556]

Portland is darker? Didn’t they use to use Portland paint as a whitewash paint?

[@jamedlock83]

She's absolutely gorgeous!

[@johngorman8026]

Great video BUT-- HAIR dangling by rotating tool !!! Safety Fail...

[@vice4134]

Little confusing in the end about cement mixing options. Jeez! A chart would be nice.

[@futballer888]

Is Mikayla single??

[@jamiewatkinson9564]

This guy's a shoemaker doesn't have a clue what he's talking about

[@ronrichards6653]

not a fan of the overly cinematic, slow motion cinematography ATOH is using lately.

[@UKfanX13]

"N" as in Nancy... that's not the proper phonetic word to use for that letter

[@josephcampese5347]

Stand down brother. He's a civilian.

[@bsm6776]

November

[@mikedavis2097]

I hope your pointing out the millions of Americans not practicing proper flag etiquette too.

[@AH-up8zh]

There's no way that home is 30 years old... That cookie cutter style was in the early 2000s at the earliest...

[@Trump-2024MAGA]

early 90's