AM&S Masonry & Tuckpointing
Expert Masonry & Tuckpointing Solutions
Protecting Chicago’s charm with durable masonry and tuckpointing that lasts.
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5-Star Customer Rating
Noticed the mortar cracking on our chimney last fall, finally got around to get quotes this spring.. AM&S gave us a reasonable number and fit us in within two weeks.. Glad we didn't wait any longer.
Brianah Evans
A reliable service for any brick house owner. This company diagnosed and corrected several hidden flashing issues in the veneer.
Alleana Jones
The brick walls in our living room turned out perfect! Workers were professional and respectful of our space. Highly recommended!
Louise Steele
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About Us

AM&S Masonry & Tuckpointing

With decades of combined experience, our team has become a trusted name in masonry and tuckpointing throughout Arlington Heights. We specialize in restoring and strengthening both historic and modern buildings, from brick repairs and facade restoration to full tuckpointing and chimney rebuilds. Our mission is built on craftsmanship, honesty, and long-term value. By combining proven techniques with modern tools, we deliver precise and durable results on every project. Whether it’s a residential home or a commercial property in Arlington Heights, we approach every job with professionalism, transparency, and a commitment to quality.
Respect the Brick. Restore the Story.

We don’t cover up what time has changed. We carefully restore worn mortar, aging brick, and historic details while preserving the character that makes your property unique.

Every Joint Has a Job.

Tuckpointing is more than filling gaps. The right mortar, depth, and finish help your masonry handle moisture, weather, and the test of time.

GET YOUR MASONRY RESTORED
(224) 342-1050
Brick by Brick, We Build with Precision and Purpose

Comprehensive Masonry & Tuckpointing Services

From precision tuckpointing to complete masonry repairs, we provide expert solutions designed to restore your brickwork, protect your property, and keep every detail built to last.

Tuckpointing

Restore damaged mortar joints and protect your brickwork with professional tuckpointing services.

Masonry

Expert masonry services for durable, attractive brick and stone structures built to last.

Pressure Washing

Remove dirt, grime, and buildup with professional pressure washing for a cleaner exterior.

Brick Chimney Repair

Repair cracks, damaged mortar, and deterioration to keep your brick chimney safe and strong.

Brick Fireplaces

Restore and improve brick fireplaces with quality masonry work that enhances your home's character.

Lintel Repair

Repair damaged or deteriorated lintels to protect your brickwork and maintain structural integrity.

PREVENTIVE MASONRY CARE

The Best Time to Understand a Wall Is Before the Repair Becomes Obvious

Masonry buildings provide warning signs, but those signs are easier to interpret when someone knows what changed. A crack photographed three years ago and found at the same width today tells a different story from one that has visibly extended across several courses in a single season. Preventive maintenance is largely about comparison. Instead of waiting for loose brick, interior staining, or major displacement, the building is reviewed repeatedly for small changes in joints, openings, drainage details, and exposed masonry. The goal is not to invent repairs. It is to recognize developing patterns while the cause is still easier to isolate.

Create a Visual Record

Photographs taken from the same general positions make changes in cracks, mortar erosion, and staining easier to compare over time.

Inspect After Seasonal Exposure

Spring can reveal damage after winter moisture and freezing conditions, while later inspections may show how walls dry and respond during warmer months.

Watch Repeating Locations

The same corner, sill, lintel, or parapet showing repeated distress deserves more attention than an isolated cosmetic imperfection elsewhere.

Plan Repairs by Condition

Condition-based maintenance helps separate work that should be addressed soon from masonry that can remain in service and continue to be observed.

Preventive masonry care is less dramatic than emergency repair, and that is precisely the advantage. A building does not need every crack chased or every aged joint replaced. It needs a reliable history of how its walls are behaving. Once changes are documented, repair decisions can be based on movement, moisture, and material deterioration rather than guesswork. That makes maintenance more precise and helps preserve more of the original masonry.
THE LIFE OF A MASONRY WALL

Tuckpointing Extends Wall Life by Renewing the Part Designed to Be Renewed

Brick masonry lasts because the wall is made of individual components that do not all age at the same rate. Brick units may remain serviceable for generations while the mortar between them gradually loses material. That difference is not a flaw in the system. In a compatible masonry assembly, joints can be renewed without dismantling the entire wall. Tuckpointing becomes important when mortar has reached the point where it can no longer maintain a sound joint profile. The process restores that replaceable layer and gives the existing brickwork a better chance to remain in service.

The Brick Remains in Place

Many masonry units can continue performing long after the exposed mortar surface begins to weather. The first task is determining whether the brick itself is still sound enough to preserve.

Aged Mortar Is Removed Selectively

Repointing is not a coating applied over the facade. Deteriorated joint material is removed to sufficient depth so new mortar can be packed against a sound surface.

The Joint Is Rebuilt

Fresh compatible mortar is placed in controlled lifts and compacted into the joint. Proper filling matters because a thin surface layer has little connection to the deeper joint behind it.

The Wall Returns to a Maintainable Cycle

Years later, exposed mortar may weather again. A masonry wall that can be inspected and selectively repointed remains easier to preserve than one allowed to deteriorate until brick units and concealed components are involved.

The real value of tuckpointing is not that it makes old masonry look new. It allows an existing wall to continue aging in a controlled and repairable way. Good maintenance preserves the durable portions of the building while renewing material that has reached the end of its useful condition. Seen from that perspective, mortar joints are not a minor cosmetic detail. They are one of the reasons a brick wall can remain serviceable for such a long time.

One of Brick's Greatest Environmental Advantages Is the Building That Keeps Standing

Sustainability discussions often focus on new products, but existing masonry introduces another question: how much usable building material is already in place? A brick wall that remains structurally sound contains units that have already been manufactured, transported, and assembled. Keeping those walls in service can reduce the need to remove and replace large portions of the exterior simply because selected joints or masonry units require repair. Brick is particularly suited to this kind of long-term thinking because many repairs can be localized. Deteriorated mortar can be repointed. Individual damaged units can be removed and replaced. Salvaged brick may sometimes be retained for compatible repair where its condition and properties are suitable. This does not make every old brick building automatically sustainable or worth preserving unchanged. Water problems, structural defects, and incompatible alterations still require technical evaluation. The larger point is that durability and repairability create options. A wall capable of remaining in use through successive maintenance cycles may avoid the material turnover associated with shorter-lived exterior systems.
Explore the Long Life of Brick Masonry

Existing Material Stays in Service

Preserving sound masonry allows large portions of the original exterior wall to remain rather than being removed solely because isolated areas have deteriorated.

Repairs Can Be Selective

Individual brick replacement makes it possible to address damaged units while leaving neighboring masonry undisturbed when it remains serviceable.

Salvaged Brick May Have a Second Use

Where suitable material is available and compatible with the existing wall, carefully salvaged masonry can sometimes support restoration work rather than becoming immediate waste.

Long Service Life Changes the Calculation

A material that remains in service for decades and can be periodically maintained should be evaluated differently from an exterior system designed around frequent full replacement.

SUPPORT ABOVE OPENINGS

A Lintel Problem Is Ultimately a Question of What Is Holding Up the Masonry

Look at an uninterrupted brick wall and each course is supported by masonry below it. Place a window in that wall and the load path changes. Brick can no longer continue straight downward through the opening. A lintel creates a bridge, carrying masonry across the gap and transferring forces toward the sides. That makes lintel deterioration different from ordinary surface weathering. Corrosion is important, but so are deformation, loss of steel section, inadequate bearing, and movement in the brickwork above. A crack near an opening may be the first visible evidence that support conditions are changing. Simply replacing cracked mortar does not answer the structural question. Repair decisions should begin with the load path. Is the steel still capable of performing its role? Are the ends properly supported? Has the lintel moved or deflected? Is the masonry above stable during the work? In more advanced conditions, temporary support may be required before brick is removed and the existing steel can be replaced safely.

Follows the Load Path

The investigation starts with how masonry above the opening transfers weight toward the supporting wall at each side.

Evaluates Structural Steel

Visible rust is only one observation. Section condition, deformation, and the ability of the lintel to continue supporting masonry are more important to the repair decision.

Considers Stability During Repair

Removing brick or structural steel changes the support condition temporarily. The repair sequence must account for the masonry that remains above the opening.

Looks Beyond the Crack

Cracking, displacement, and recurring joint failure are evaluated in relation to the opening rather than treated as isolated mortar defects.

Learn How Lintel Support Is Assessed
Reach Out Today for a Free, No-Obligation Estimate

Ready to Restore or Upgrade Your Masonry?

Tuckpointing Projects Completed
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Precision in Every Joint
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WHY CHOOSE US

Masonry Work Built Around Quality and Precision

We combine skilled craftsmanship, careful preparation, and attention to detail to restore and protect brickwork the right way. From tuckpointing and lintel repairs to chimney and fireplace masonry, we focus on durable results that improve both the strength and appearance of your property.

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Precision Tuckpointing

We carefully remove deteriorated mortar and restore joints with precision to strengthen your brickwork and help prevent further damage.

Detailed Masonry Repairs

From cracked brick to damaged masonry, we address the underlying issues with repairs designed for lasting performance.

Chimney & Fireplace Expertise

We restore brick chimneys and fireplaces with careful masonry work that preserves their structure, safety, and original character.

Built for Arlington Heights Weather

Our repairs are designed to withstand the demanding freeze-thaw cycles, moisture, and seasonal conditions common throughout the Arlington Heights area.

Clean, Professional Work

We respect your property throughout every project, maintaining a clean work area while delivering precise, professional results.

Explore a Showcase of Projects Built to Last

See Our Masonry & Tuckpointing Work in Action

OUR GALLERY
Testimonials

What Clients Are Saying About Our Masonry Work

It started with a quick inspection after I noticed cracks running along the mortar on the back of the house. They took me through what needed tuckpointing versus what was still fine, sent over a written quote a couple days later, and started about two weeks after that. No surprises.
virginia torres
Had AM&s do some work on our front steps and a small garden wall that was falling apart I think the part that really stuck with me was how fast the mortar cleanup was like no smears on the brick faces at all
China Williams
got our front porch steps redone and the difference is wild. the old mortar was basically sand at that point crumbling everywhere. they came out pretty quick after the estimate. one thing i noticed is they matched the brick color almost perfectly which i didnt think was possible with how old our house is. took maybe three days total.
tracy adams