Brick pointing in Riverside CA - solid joints that keep water out of the wall
Mortar sandy, cracked or sinking back from the brick face? We cut out the bad joints and pack new mortar that suits your brick.
Get your worn mortar joints looked at
Call (951) 462-2880 or send the form, and on the walk-around I'll tell you whether the whole wall needs pointing or just a few bad spots.
When does a brick wall need repointing?
Brick pointing in Riverside, CA means we cut the worn mortar out of your brick joints and pack new mortar in, and it's one of the most effective ways to cut down the water getting into a brick wall.
Most people call when they see mortar sitting back from the brick, sand collecting at the foot of the wall or a crack following the joints. The price moves with how many square feet need work, how deep the joints are gone, how soft the brick is and how high we have to work, because a tall wall or chimney means scaffolding and more hours. The schedule turns on the same things, plus whether the city wants a permit before we start. Your written estimate spells out the area we'll repoint and how we'll do it, so you're not guessing.
Why Riverside homeowners call Keystone Riverside Concrete and Masonry for brick pointing
Started in Riverside in 2017
I laid brick and block for a big commercial outfit before starting this company in Riverside in 2017. That work taught me to build to an inspector's eye, and that's how we treat a mortar joint.
I write your estimate myself
I come out to look at your wall and write the estimate myself. A lead mason runs our crew on site, so you know who's in charge once the work starts.
Licensed, insured, no needless work
We're licensed and fully insured. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job, and I'd rather tell you a wall can wait than sell you pointing you don't need.
On a pointing job, what counts is how the old mortar comes out and what goes back in, so tell us about your wall and I'll come take a look.
How we do brick pointing on your house
We start by finding the joints that have actually failed, then cut the old mortar out to a solid depth so the new mortar has something to grab. Where the brick is soft, we take the old mortar out by hand and keep grinders away from it, because one slip with a blade chews up the edge of a brick you can't easily replace. We brush the joints clean, mist them, pack new mortar mixed to suit your brick in layers, and tool each joint to match the rest of the wall before we clean the face. Smearing fresh mortar over old joints isn't pointing. It's cake frosting, and we don't sell it as pointing.
Pointing fixes the joints, not whatever made them fail. If cracks are stepping through the wall because the ground underneath moved, foundation repair comes before new mortar, or you'll be paying for the same joints twice. A chimney with loose bricks at the top or a broken cap needs more than pointing, and that's chimney repair, which I can look at on the same visit.
Spot pointing on worn sections
This suits a wall that's mostly sound but has bad joints in one area, like under a downspout or along the base. We cut out and repoint just those joints and blend them into the rest.
Full-wall pointing
This suits an older wall where the joints are tired all over, so patching would only chase the problem around. Doing the whole face at once also gives you joints that match in color and depth.
How can you tell your brick joints need pointing?
Mortar sinking behind the brick
The joints sit back from the brick face and you can catch a fingernail in them. Water and time have worn the mortar down, and every season you wait lets more water into the wall.
Sand at the base
Mortar that crumbles when you rub it, or leaves sand along the foot of the wall, has lost what holds it together. Left alone, bricks start working loose and pointing turns into rebuilding.
Hairline cracks in the joints
Thin cracks running along the mortar lines let water in every time it rains or the sprinklers hit the wall. Caught early it's a pointing job, and caught late it's wet brick.
Gaps between brick and mortar
A thin line where the mortar has pulled away from the brick edge means the bond is gone. Tap it and it may sound hollow, and water heads straight into that gap.
What happens when you call us about brick pointing in Riverside?
I come out and measure
Call (951) 462-2880 or send the form, and I'll come out to look at your joints and measure the wall. You get a written estimate that says what we'll repoint and how.
Our crew repoints the joints
If the job needs a permit, we take care of it before we start. Then our lead mason and crew cut out the failed joints and repoint them the way your estimate says.
I check it before we finish
Once the joints are packed and the face is cleaned, I go over the wall myself before we call it finished. You end up with joints that match and brick that isn't smeared with mortar.
Brick pointing questions we hear
These are the questions Riverside homeowners ask most about worn mortar and repointing. If your wall doesn't fit any of them, call or send a photo and ask about your own job.
How do I know if my brick mortar needs repointing?
Your mortar needs repointing when it's worn back more than ¼ inch from the brick face, crumbles, sounds hollow, or shows hairline cracks or cracks between the brick and the mortar. Spotting those signs early lets you plan the work before more moisture gets into the wall. Send a few photos and I'll tell you if it can wait.
How much does brick repointing cost per 100 square feet?
Across the US, professional brick repointing usually costs about $400 to $2,500 per 100 square feet, and that's the market's range, not our price. Walls or chimneys taller than 8 feet need scaffolding, and most masons charge more for that than for ground-level work. Your written estimate gives you the figure for your wall.
Who issues building permits in Riverside, CA?
Riverside's building official issues permits for work that alters or repairs a structure, and the city's building office is where you ask whether a pointing job needs one. The city's exempt list names things like sheds, fences and painting, not brick pointing, and many permits can be issued to the owner, an authorized agent or a licensed contractor. When it isn't clear for your wall, we check with the city before we start.
How long does new mortar last on a brick house?
Mortar lasts roughly 25 to 50 years, while the brick itself lasts about 100 years or more, according to a Chicago-area masonry group. On an older brick home, that means you can plan on repointing the joints while the brick keeps going. That's how it should be, since mortar is the part meant to wear out first.
What kind of mortar should be used for repointing brick?
The new mortar should be equal to or lower in strength than the original mortar. Stronger mortar adds stress where brick meets mortar and can break the face off the brick, so ask any crew which mortar they plan to use. Hard mortar in soft brick is how you end up with a nice new joint between two broken bricks.
What is the best way to choose a contractor for brick pointing in Riverside?
Pick a crew with real repointing experience, because the Brick Industry Association warns that an excellent mason may not be qualified for this work, and you can have a contractor's repointing skills tested before you choose. In Riverside, a contractor should show a California Contractors State Licensing Board license and hold a current city business license. The state board requires a license even for minor work under $1,000 when that work needs a permit of any kind.
Get a written estimate for your brick joints
Tell us where the joints are worn, how tall the wall is and how old the house is. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free written estimate with no obligation.
Brick pointing work up close
Other work your brick may need
Foundation repair
When stair-step cracks keep reopening in the same joints, the ground under the wall is usually moving, and that needs fixing before any new mortar goes in.
Learn moreChimney repair
If the top courses of your chimney are loose or the cap is cracked, it pays to fix it all while the scaffolding is already up.
Learn more