Though it’s rare, the Chicago area has experienced its share of earthquakes in the past. Usually years are between each quake. The most recent quake, though minor, was the first of June 2021. Before that, the most significant quake was 5 years ago, in March of 2015 – the fact of the matter is that regardless of their rarity, these earthquakes can cause lasting damage to brick-and-mortar buildings.

So how is this damage repairable?

No, you don’t have to fill it up with cement and hope it sticks, or move to a new building. The best option in order to repair damage done by earthquakes is by using 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 – repairing any damage done by earthquakes.

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 with your existing brick color and texture/profile. This is perfect for earthquake damage – any cracks in the mortar of your building will essentially dissolve once this process is done, and done to a T.

Oftentimes, it’s easy to try to repair these cracks caused by earthquakes yourself – but this simply isn’t a smart idea if you’re not 100% sure that you know what you’re doing. By hiring someone that can professionally tuckpoint your building, you won’t have to worry about any faulty structures that can often be unsafe, or about any aesthetic difference in the brick pattern/color.

Arrow Masonry is your best bet when it comes to properly tuckpointing your industrial building. It’s also worth mentioning that while tuckpointing is indeed the perfect way to fix any damage done by earthquakes, it’s also the perfect way to fix any other general damage done to your structure; whether it is weather damage or simply time chipping your building away.

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.