Brick pointing in Salinas, CA - fresh mortar joints that protect your old brick
Crumbling or cracked mortar between your bricks? We replace only the joints that have failed, with a mortar that's gentle on the brick.
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What does brick pointing fix on my house?
Brick pointing in Salinas, CA means cutting the worn mortar out from between your bricks until we reach solid mortar, then refilling the joints with fresh mortar so the wall sheds moisture again and the brick stays protected. At Blockworks Salinas Concrete and Masonry, careful mortar work on older brick is what we're best known for.
Most people call when they notice sand on the ground under a wall, joints that have sunk back from the brick face, or a crack running along the mortar. The price mostly comes down to how many joints have failed and how easy they are to reach, since a chimney or a second story takes more setup than a garden wall. The schedule usually turns on getting dry, mild days so the new mortar can cure. If the bricks themselves are cracked or loose, that's brick repair rather than pointing, and I'll tell you which one you need. Your estimate lists the work, the materials and the reason for each, so you'll see your own figure in writing.
How we do brick pointing
Before we cut anything, I walk the wall with you and mark the joints that have failed, so we both know exactly what's getting replaced. Our crew then takes the old mortar out to an even depth until we reach solid mortar, and where the brick edges are thin we do it by hand so we don't chip the brick. We brush the joints clean and dampen them so the brick doesn't pull water out of the new mortar too fast, pack the mortar in firm layers and tool each joint to match the ones around it. Last, we clean mortar smears off the brick face, and I check the work before we pack up.
Pointing is often part of a bigger fix. Worn joints at the top of a chimney usually come with loose brick or a cracked crown, and we take care of that as chimney repair while we're up there. If cracks run in a stair step through the joints and open again after they're filled, the wall is likely moving, and I'll tell you so, because new mortar won't hold until the foundation repair is done.
Brick pointing in Salinas and the rules around it
In Salinas, building permits are reviewed, issued and inspected by Permit Services at the city's Permit Center. I can't settle for you whether repointing your wall needs a permit, so the Permit Center is the place to ask before work starts. When a job does need one, we handle the application and the inspections and keep you posted on where it stands.
A lot of the brick we repoint is older, and older brick was usually laid in lime mortar, which is softer than the Portland cement mortars that came in later. Putting a hard modern mortar into a historic wall can leave the brick soaking up moisture until it fails, so on an older house I look closely at the old mortar before anything else. If your house is one of the city's historic resources, the Salinas Historic Resources Board gives owners guidance on restoring and maintaining them, and it's worth asking before you commit. We're based in Salinas and work in the cities around it, and we see the same older brick on jobs in Monterey and Seaside. If your city isn't on our list, call and ask.
Pointed brick, up close
Get a written estimate for your brick joints
We reply within one business day by phone or through the form, and then I come out, walk the wall with you and write the estimate. Estimates are free, done on site and carry no obligation, and photos of the worn joints help me see what we're dealing with before I get there.
(831) 243-7031Brick pointing questions from Salinas homeowners
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Your brick needs repointing when the mortar has worn back more than about a quarter inch from the face, is crumbling, has gaps or hairline cracks, or has pulled away from the brick. Only the joints showing those signs need work, and a sound original joint is better left alone than replaced. A phone photo of the worst spots is a good place to start.
What kind of mortar should be used to repoint old brick?
Brick industry guidance says the new mortar should be no harder under pressure than the original, because a stronger mortar can make the face of the brick flake away. That matters most on older houses laid in softer lime mortar, so I look at what's in your joints now before I choose a mix.
How long does repointed mortar last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the bricks themselves can go well past 100. How long yours hold up depends on how exposed the wall is and the mortar used, which is why the joints need attention long before the brick does.
How much does brick pointing cost in Salinas?
The cost depends mostly on how many joints have failed, because repointing is slow, labor-heavy hand work, and keeping it to the defective joints keeps the labor down. Height and access, chimney work and how carefully the old mortar has to come out also move the price. I'll write it all down on site so you have your own figure.
How do I choose a contractor for brick repointing?
Choose a crew that can show you repointing work, because brick industry guidance says this job belongs with experienced repointing craftspeople and even an excellent mason may not be qualified for it. The same guidance tells owners to test a crew's repointing skill before hiring, so ask to see finished joints up close. I'm glad to show you ours.
What is the best time of year to repoint brick?
One national cost guide suggests spring or fall, when daytime temperatures sit between 40 and 90 degrees. It calls 24 to 72 hours of that weather ideal for new mortar to cure, so we look at the forecast when we set a start date.
Get your Salinas brick joints looked at
Call (831) 243-7031 while only a few joints have failed, because a small patch of pointing is a much smaller job than waiting until the brick itself is damaged.