When the mortar joints on an industrial building have cracked, flaked, or disintegrated due to weather or time, there’s only one true solution when it comes to fixing the issue – tuckpointing. Whether it’s a masonry, stone, lintel, or a chimney structure, once the process of tuckpointing is complete, a once crumbled and dilapidated brick structure now looks better than it ever did – and if your industrial building is in Chicago or any of its surrounding areas, Arrow Masonry & Exteriors will be happy to help with any of your tuckpointing needs!

At its core, tuckpointing is the process of filling in open joints and gaps in an industrial mortar structure with a proper mortar mix that will blend your existing brick color and texture/profile. While it’s extremely tedious and difficult to handle, it is possible to do it yourself, but you’ll have to worry about grinding out a mortar joint, taking the joint out and tuckpointing it with new mortar (in a color that matches the existing color as close as possible) Then, once this new mortar is “thumbprint” hard, you’d have to tool the joint to form a concave texture/profile for a watertight seal. And don’t forget to clean the building’s masonry, which would then blend the existing mortar with the newly added mortar. That said, it’s simply not a very good idea to do it yourself – but we at Arrow Masonry & Exteriors can do it for you professionally – and with this process finished, your masonry, stone, lintel, or chimney structure will look incredibly clean and brand new – and as mentioned: it’ll look better than it ever did.

It’s important to note that the tuckpointing process improves quite literally every aspect of the structure. Whether it’s the structural integrity, the aesthetics of the building, the marketability of the structure, or even prolonging the overall life of your masonry, Arrow’s tuckpointing process not only keeps your masonry building within code compliance while protecting its investment value, but it also minimizes energy loss and overall makes for a better building.

If you are located in Chicago or any of its surrounding areas and your industrial brick-and-mortar structure is crumbling, contact Arrow Masonry & Exteriors today! We will be happy to help with any of your tuckpointing needs.

Caulking is a decades old technique that was originally mainly used in ship building. The idea was to prevent any penetration between hard-surfaced construction materials. It is imperative the caulk or sealant is water-tight and secured tightly to the hard surface. The more secured the seal, the greater the effectiveness of the caulk.

To keep pace with the growing need for waterproofing, many manufacturers began to develop caulking materials and sealants. These newer products worked much better than the older oil-based caulking materials commonly used. However, there remained issues with the new materials. Leaks were frequent because the sealants could not bridge the joint that enlarged as the metal window frame contracted from chilly temperatures. Thankfully, current technology and better procedures have made caulking and sealing much more efficient.

Cracks are an Indicator of Problems

So how does an owner know if their building needs caulking or sealing? A simple eye check around the windows and doors will reveal if caulk is missing or out of place. Similarly, if cracks or drafts are present, caulking of the structure is probably required. Sealants and caulking will not only keep heating and cooling costs down but will improve the aesthetics of the entire building.

If you are in the Chicago area and your structure needs some caulk and sealing work, you cannot go wrong with Arrow Masonry. Caulking buildings is one of Arrow’s areas of expertise. The company employs a variety of sealant products depending on the requirements of the job. Polyurethane, silicone, and butyl rubber caulk are among the more commonly used materials to form a watertight seal to all types of perimeter, control and expansion joints.

Arrow has the experience, equipment and professionals to handle all caulking and sealing for your building.  Arrow Masonry and Exteriors has been providing quality caulking and masonry restoration services to commercial and residential communities for over 50 years. Call Arrow today at 847-776-6400 or visit their website to view all the services that can provide for you.

For decades bricks have been one of the most popular building materials. In fact, almost 40% of current residences were constructed using bricks. Due to the attempt to decrease energy consumption in all forms, special building regulations have been created in recent years.  These energy guidelines require newly constructed homes be built more efficiently.

The problem is many current types of wall materials are dense and cumbersome. They may absorb heat and deter its conveyance through the walls in your home. Through these barriers, temperature changes tend to moderate. When this occurs heat loss is compromised, making it more difficult to cool your home. Compared to brick walls, the lightweight materials have a very low measure of thermal mass.

Building With Bricks is an Efficient Alternative

One of the easiest and most efficient ways to install thermal mass is through the use of bricks. Those bricks that are made from clay contain very high levels. They are the perfect material to use to ensure your home is well ventilated, comfortable and more energy efficient. And during the summer heat, an airy, cool place that also saves on energy bills is a wonderful bonus.

In recent years research has been conducted proving the assumption brick stone homes are truly energy efficient. Research has discovered that a large part of the heat bounced back to the outside environment is by way of the exterior panel of the brick. Another determination was that during summer, the temperature inside a home constructed with bricks remained cooler and more comfortable. This was true even with changing weather conditions outside. In other words, bricks help keep the feel of the house from wild fluctuations such as those in a building made of wood or siding.

In the Chicago metropolitan area your best option for brick or tuckpointing projects is  Arrow Masonry and Exteriors, Inc. Arrow Masonry has been providing quality brick work, tuckpointing and masonry restoration services to commercial and residential communities for over 50 years. Call Arrow today at 847-776-6400 or visit their website to learn how a brick home can be more efficient for you.