Sides that freeze and thaw
Snowmelt soaks into brick by day and freezes at night, and in cold climates that's a major cause of frost damage. Even hairline cracks where mortar meets brick let more water in.
Brick pointing in Loveland CO - fresh joints that protect the brick around them
Crumbling or cracked mortar between your bricks? We clear out the worn joints and refill them so the wall takes in less water.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What brick pointing fixes on your house
Brick pointing, which plenty of folks call tuckpointing, means raking the old, worn mortar out from between your bricks and packing the joints with fresh mortar, and at Custom Loveland Concrete and Masonry it's how we help Loveland homeowners cut down the water getting into their brick walls.
Most calls start with something you notice from the yard, like mortar you can rub out with a thumb or joints that look sunken next to the brick. I'll come out, look over the whole wall and ask you plenty of questions, because where the water's getting in matters as much as where the mortar's gone.
The price moves with how much wall needs work, how high it goes and whether we need scaffolding to reach it, how deep the joints are worn and whether any bricks need fixing before we point. The schedule turns on that same brick work and on the weather, since fresh mortar needs time above freezing to cure, and my written estimate lays out what the price covers.
You see what you're paying for
My estimate writes down everything the price covers in one place, so you know which walls we're pointing, what brick work comes first and what we're leaving alone.
The person who looks also works
I'm the one who comes out to see your wall and write the estimate, and I'm on site with our masons while they work, so what we talked about is what gets done.
Honest about what can wait
If your joints still have good years in them, I'll tell you it can wait. When the work does make sense, we do it carefully, and it's satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
How we repoint a brick wall
Before we touch a joint, I check whether the trouble stops at the mortar or the bricks themselves are cracked, loose or flaking, because new mortar around a bad brick won't hold for long. Leaks and stair-step cracks get the same close look, since they point to brick that needs repair first and sometimes to a wall that's moved, which can make it a foundation repair job before it's a pointing job.
On soft old brick we take the mortar out by hand. It's slower than running a grinder down every joint, but it's much kinder to the brick edges, and those edges are what hold a clean, tight joint. Then we pack the joints with new mortar in layers, tool them to match the rest of the wall and clean the brick face as we go.
Expect some noise and dust while the old mortar comes out, and if the wall's tall, scaffolding may sit against that side of the house for a while. Chimneys get the hardest weather on the house, so when a stack's joints are going, we'll look at the crown and flashing too and talk you through chimney repair if it needs more than pointing.
Where worn joints show up around Loveland
Chimneys and tall walls
They catch weather from every side and are hard to see from the ground, so their joints often wear well past the rest of the house before anyone notices.
Garden walls and brick steps
Low walls, planters and steps sit close to wet soil and sprinkler spray, so their joints tend to go first. They're also an easy place to catch trouble early.
Loveland landmark homes
If your house is a city landmark, the Historic Preservation Commission reviews and decides applications for a landmark alteration certificate. Tell us up front so we can plan the work around that review.
Get a written estimate for your brick joints
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a visit. I'll come look at the wall myself, and the estimate is free with no obligation.
Photos of the worn joints
A few close shots and one of the whole wall help me see how deep the wear goes and whether any bricks look cracked before I come out.
The wall's rough size and height
Height tells me whether we'll need scaffolding, and size gives me a feel for the job, so both help me plan the visit and the estimate.
Any leaks or damp spots
Tell us if you've seen water inside or stains on the brick, because a leak can mean the brick needs repair first and I'll want to look there.
Examples of brick and masonry joint work
These photos show joint profiles, mortar colors and brick types you can point to when we talk about how your wall should look.
Brick pointing questions from Loveland homeowners
Here's what people ask me most when they're looking at worn joints and trying to decide what their wall really needs.
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Your joints need new mortar if you see crumbling mortar, gaps or voids, hairline cracks, cracks between the brick and the mortar, or mortar worn back more than ¼ inch from the brick face. Run a finger along a few joints to check. Cracked, loose or flaking bricks are a different fix, which is why I look at the brick first.
How much does brick repointing cost in Loveland?
Repointing brick usually costs about $3 to $25 per square foot of wall across the US, and that's what the market charges, not our quote. Where your wall lands depends on the things I covered above, like height, scaffolding and how much brick repair comes first. Your written estimate gives you your own number.
What kind of mortar should be used to repoint old brick?
The new mortar should be equal to or lower in strength than your wall's original mortar. Mortar that's harder than the original puts extra stress where brick meets mortar and can spall the brick face, popping off the front of the brick, and that damage can't be undone. So the right mix starts with what's in your wall now.
How long does brick repointing last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on how exposed the wall is and what it's built with, while the bricks may well last more than 100 years. So most brick walls need repointing at some point in their life, and it's normal upkeep, not a sign the wall was built badly.
Do I need a permit to repoint brick in Loveland?
That's not clear-cut for repointing, so we check with the City of Loveland's Building Division on every job. The city requires a building permit for new construction, additions and alterations, and when your job needs one, we handle the application and set up the inspections. We're licensed and fully insured, and you can confirm any contractor's city license by calling 970-962-2505.
Can I repoint my own brick house in Loveland?
Yes, the city lets you do your own work on the home that's your primary residence, with a homeowner affidavit. If your brick is old and soft, take it slow. The National Park Service says hand chisels carry the least risk of damage to historic brick, while power saws and grinders can be disastrous for it in unskilled hands.
Related masonry work for brick walls
Get your worn joints looked at
Calling while the damage is still in the mortar usually keeps the job to pointing, before water works its way into the bricks themselves.