This tuckpointing cost calculator estimates what it will cost to grind out and refill the mortar joints on a brick wall. Enter your wall size, brick type and joint details to get total cost, linear feet of joints, and the number of mortar bags to buy.
Enter the width and height of each brick wall, how many identical walls you have, and the square footage of windows and doors to deduct. Pick your brick size, joint dimensions, mortar type, access difficulty and local labor market. Press calculate to see a mid-range price, a likely low-to-high range, the linear feet of joint, and how many 80 lb mortar bags to order. The diagram updates with your numbers.
Mortar is the sacrificial part of a brick wall. It is softer than the brick so it wears first, and after 25 to 40 years it often crumbles, recesses or cracks. Open joints let water into the wall, which leads to spalling brick, rotted framing, peeling interior paint and freeze-thaw damage. Repointing before that happens is far cheaper than rebuilding a wall section, which can run several times the cost.
Homeowners use an estimate like this before calling masons, so a quote of $3,000 or $15,000 can be judged against a realistic number. Buyers of older rowhouses and brownstones use it to budget deferred maintenance. Property managers use it to compare bids for a three-story façade. A 1,000 sq ft wall holds about 6,000 linear feet of joint, and a few dollars of difference per foot becomes thousands of dollars. Knowing the joint length, rather than just the wall area, makes bids easier to compare.
A quick note on terms: in the strict sense, tuckpointing means filling joints with matching mortar and adding a thin decorative line. Most contractors and homeowners use it interchangeably with repointing, and that is how this tool treats it.
The calculator works from joint length, because labor is driven by how many feet of mortar must be ground out and refilled.
This follows common masonry rules of thumb: cut joints to at least 2 to 2½ times the joint width, and use mortar no harder than the surrounding brick (ASTM C270 types, and the guidance in NPS Preservation Brief 2 for historic masonry). Local codes, labor prices and contractor practices vary, so treat the output as a planning estimate. It is not a bid, an engineering opinion or an inspection.
A brick rowhouse side wall is 40 ft wide and 12 ft high, with two windows and a door totaling 60 sq ft. It has modular brick, 3/8 in joints cut 3/4 in deep, Type N mortar at $14 per bag, one story of access, and an average market.
| Step | Result |
|---|---|
| Gross area 40 × 12 | 480 sq ft |
| Net area (480 − 60) | 420 sq ft |
| Joint length 420 × 6.0 | 2,520 lin ft |
| Mortar in place 2,520 × 0.375 × 0.75 ÷ 144 | 4.92 cu ft |
| With 25% waste ÷ 0.6 = 10.25, rounded up | 11 bags |
| Labor 2,520 × $2.50 | $6,300 |
| Materials 11 × $14 | $154 |
| Supplies 5% of labor | $315 |
| Contingency 10% of $6,769 | $677 |
| Total, rounded up to the next $5 | $7,450 |
That is about $17.74 per sq ft of wall, with a likely range of $6,330 to $9,310. Enter the same values above and you should see the same figures.
Most jobs land between about $8 and $25 per square foot, depending on joint size, access and region. This calculator typically shows $10 to $21 per sq ft for standard brick, and more for historic lime work or tall walls needing scaffolding.
Repointing replaces deteriorated mortar in the joints. Traditional tuckpointing adds a thin contrasting mortar line over the new mortar to imitate fine joints. In everyday usage, contractors use the words interchangeably.
Well-done repointing with the right mortar commonly lasts 25 to 50 years. Poor mortar choices, shallow cuts or ongoing moisture problems can shorten that to less than 10 years.
With modular brick, 3/8 in joints and 3/4 in depth, 1,000 sq ft needs about 6,000 lin ft of joint, or roughly 25 bags of 80 lb mortar including waste. Wider or deeper joints raise that quickly, so check the joint inputs.
Small areas on a ground-level wall are feasible if you cut joints cleanly, match the mortar and keep it damp while curing. Large or elevated areas are safer with a mason, because ladder work and silica dust are real hazards.
Not always. If only certain areas have failed, spot repointing saves money, so use the slider to model a smaller share. Many masons recommend the whole wall when more than about 25% of joints are bad, because matching old and new mortar can look patchy.
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