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Scam Pointing: The Cosmetic Fix That Damages Masonry

Scam pointing is like pushing drywall screw pops back into the wall: it looks better from across the way, but it doesn’t actually fix the problem. In fact, it quietly makes things worse. The real invoice arrives later, with crumbling brick, damp interiors, and a masonry contractor giving you that look when you ask why your mortar “repairs” didn’t last more than a season.



What is “Scam Pointing?”

Also affectionately known (by no one) as smear pointing, scam pointing is when someone wipes a thin film of mortar - or worse, caulk or cement paste - over the surface of brick joints to make them look new. It’s makeup, not medicine.

Proper repointing means cutting out the failed mortar, matching it with a compatible mix, and packing it back in so the wall can breathe and shed water like it was designed to. Scam pointing skips all that hard work. Instead, it’s the masonry equivalent of painting over rust on a car: it looks fine until you discover the holes were just hiding underneath.


Why People Fall For It

  • The price sounds right. (Because “cheap” and “long-lasting” rarely share the same sentence.)

  • The wall looks clean. A little gray haze across the bricks fools the eye—at least until the first rainstorm.

  • The timeline is fast. A whole façade “repaired” in a day! Which should be your first red flag, not your last.

  • They just don’t know better. Scam pointing thrives on the assumption that homeowners can’t tell the difference between real masonry work and surface cosmetics.

Red Flags in Contractor Proposals

When reviewing estimates or proposals for masonry repair, watch for the following omissions or vague assurances:
  
     - No specified removal depth of old mortar.
     - No mention of mortar composition, strength, or permeability.
     - Promises of starting and completing the job in unrealistically short timeframes.
     - Emphasis solely on appearance (“making it look new”) instead of 	performance and durability.
     - Lack of a sample panel for client approval before full production.

Also consider:

     - The contractor does not have a business card, branded truck, website, or licence number with the state or city.
     - The contractor showed up unexpectedly during the middle of the day to ask for your business.
     - The contractor does not draw up physical or virtual contracts, and requests cash payments.

How to Spot Scam Pointing (The 30-Second Walkaround)

There are several reliable indicators that pointing has been done improperly:

  • Surface smear: Mortar appears brushed or painted across brick faces, obscuring the crisp edges of the units.

  • Lack of depth: The new mortar sits only on the surface, without the recessed profile expected from proper joint packing.

  • Delamination: Thin overlays of mortar separate from the substrate within weeks or months, sometimes peeling away in sheets. Even within days if the sun quickly dried out the thin scam point.

  • Uniform color and texture: All joints look identical in shade and finish, often mismatched to the original mortar and sand.

  • Hairline cracking: Fine shrinkage cracks appear across the new surface, indicating inadequate bond and thickness.

  • Absence of raking evidence: No signs of dust, debris, or mortar removal before “repair” work. Large areas completed in a single day are another indicator.

  • Was there any noise? Mortar joints need to be ground out twice as deep as whatever the final tooled surface is going to be, at minimum. This requires elbow grease and a mortar saw. This is loud, and it's not quick.


How Proper Masonry Repointing Works

A correct repointing project follows well-established steps:

  1. Assessment and Documentation

    • Evaluate the condition of existing mortar and masonry.

    • Identify the original mortar composition (often lime-based in more historical structures).

    • Record existing joint profiles, tooling, and finishes for replication.

  2. Mortar Removal

    • Deteriorated mortar is cut out to a depth of at least ¾ inch or two times the joint width, whichever is greater.

    • Removal is performed carefully with low-impact power tools, and/or hand tools, to avoid damaging adjacent brick arrises.

    • Joints are cleaned of dust and debris, and masonry units may be lightly dampened to control suction before placement.

  3. Mortar Selection

    • Mortar is designed to be softer and more vapor-permeable than the masonry units, allowing joints to act as the sacrificial element - the lease expensive part of your chimney, wall, patio, facade, etc, is likely the mortar.

    • Mix is matched for strength, permeability, color, and texture.

    • For historic masonry, lime-rich mortars are often required to avoid damage caused by overly hard Portland mixes.

  4. Placement and Tooling

    • Mortar is packed into joints in lifts if necessary to ensure full compaction.

    • Tooling matches the original profile (concave, flush, weathered, rake, etc.) and is performed at the correct stage of setting.

    • Finished joints are slightly recessed from the brick face and never smeared over adjacent units.

  5. Curing

    • Mortar is kept moist and protected from rapid drying, freezing, or washing by rain during its initial curing period.

    • For lime mortars, extended curing periods with misting or damp burlap are common.



Correcting Scam Pointing

If scam pointing has already been performed:

  1. Assessment – Document conditions with photographs and consult a qualified mason or preservation specialist. They can use the photographs as well as write up a professional report to be used in legal recuperation of your money.

  2. Controlled removal – Delaminating overlays may be gently removed, but care must be taken not to damage brick faces. Mortar fully cures in about two weeks, so the sooner your mason can address removing the scam point mortar from the surface and pores of your brickwork, the better.

  3. Moisture management – Address water entry points (flashing, gutters, sealants) before undertaking new work.

  4. Proper repointing – Deteriorated mortar should be removed to full depth and replaced with a compatible mix.

  5. Brick replacement – Units damaged by trapped moisture or spalling may need replacement before repointing can proceed.


Conclusion

Scam pointing may seem like a cost-effective solution, but it undermines the integrity of masonry assemblies by trapping moisture and masking real deterioration. Correct repointing, performed with proper mortar selection, joint preparation, and curing, ensures that walls remain durable, functional, and historically accurate where applicable.


At Sound Brickworks, our approach is based on best practices, clear communication, and tested methods. Every project begins with condition assessment and a conversation to set expectations, ensuring clients know exactly what to expect before work proceeds.

 
 
 

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