Brick repair in Riverside CA - new mortar joints that match the old wall
Crumbling or cracked mortar between your bricks? We cut out the bad joints and repoint them with mortar matched to your wall.
Get your mortar joints looked at
We pick up until 10 PM on weekdays, so you can call (951) 462-2880 after work and describe what you're seeing.
What does brick repair in Riverside usually involve?
Most brick repair in Riverside comes down to repointing. We cut the worn mortar out of the joints between your bricks and pack in new mortar, which renews the part of the wall that wears first, since mortar joints usually last past 25 years and the brick itself can go well past 100.
You've probably noticed sand on the ground under the wall, or joints that have sunk back behind the brick face. Bad mortar is a lot like a bad excuse, because it falls apart once you poke at it. The price mostly follows how many joints have failed and how much wall there is, and the schedule follows the wall's size and the time it takes to get the mortar match right first. Your written estimate spells out which joints we'll repoint and how.
Why Riverside homeowners call Keystone Riverside Concrete and Masonry for brick repair
The owner looks at your wall
I come out myself, measure the wall and write the estimate, and a lead mason runs the crew once work starts. You hear the plan from the person who answers for it.
In business since 2017
I laid block and brick for a big commercial outfit before I started this company in 2017. That work taught me that what's behind the face counts most, so the mortar gets our attention first.
Licensed and insured in California
Keystone is licensed and fully insured. California's contractors board has a masonry class that covers brick, block and stone, so ask any mason you're considering for it and check it with the board.
On brick, the mortar decides whether a repair lasts, so that's where we start. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job. Call or send us a message and I'll come take a look.
How we handle brick repair and repointing
I start by walking the wall and marking the joints that have failed. We match the new mortar to what's already in your wall, in color and in strength, and we can put a small test patch somewhere out of sight so you see the match before we do the whole wall. Then our crew cuts the old mortar out of the marked joints, packs the new mortar in, tools the joints to look like the old ones and cleans the brick faces. On tools, the national masonry trade groups say hand chisels suit small areas and grinders work faster on big ones but can chip the brick beside the joint, so we settle which one fits your wall at the estimate.
Brick work often sits next to other jobs. If a brick garden wall is leaning because it's holding back soil, that's really retaining wall construction, and new mortar won't straighten it. If your brick borders a tired, cracked driveway, we also lay driveway pavers that can be planned around it.
Spot repointing
This suits a wall where a few joints have cracked or crumbled and the rest are sound. We repoint only those joints, which keeps the job smaller and leaves the good original mortar in place.
Full wall repointing
This suits a wall where the mortar has worn back across most of its face. Doing it all at once gives you joints that match each other instead of a patchwork.
How do you know your brick needs repair?
Mortar crumbling to sand
You rub a joint and it turns to sand in your fingers. That mortar has given up, and the longer you wait, the deeper water works into the wall.
Joints sunk behind the brick
The mortar sits back from the brick face and leaves a shadow line. It's wearing away, and the deeper it goes, the more mortar has to come out.
Hairline cracks in joints
Thin cracks run through the mortar or along the edge of a brick. Water gets in there, so a few cracked joints now usually turn into a bigger repair later.
Holes and gaps
You see holes where mortar is missing or gaps between brick and mortar. Loose bricks usually come next, and resetting bricks is more work than repointing joints.
What happens after you call us about brick repair?
Call or send the form
I come out, look at the joints and measure the wall. You get a written estimate that says which joints we'll repoint, what mortar we'll use and how we'll do it.
Our crew repoints the wall
A lead mason runs the crew on site, cutting out the old mortar and packing in the matched mix. If you okayed a test patch, that's the match we work from.
I check it before finishing
I go over the finished joints myself before we call the job done. I check them against what the written estimate said we'd do.
Brick repair questions, answered
These are the questions homeowners ask me most about cracked and crumbling mortar. If yours isn't here, send a photo of the joints and ask about your own wall.
How do I tell if my brick wall needs repointing?
Your brick needs repointing when the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch, crumbles, has holes, or shows hairline cracks or cracks between brick and mortar. Brick industry guidance says only those defective joints need repair, and sound original joints are better left alone than redone.
Can new mortar damage old brick?
Yes, if it's stronger than the mortar already in the wall. Brick industry guidance says new mortar has to be equal to or lower in strength than the original, because harder mortar can cause spalling, where the face of the brick breaks off. Ask any mason which mortar they plan to use before you hire them.
How do I get new mortar to match the color of my old mortar?
You match the color through the sand and the cement, because the color of the sand and the type of cement set the color of the finished mortar. Masonry guidance suggests checking a sample in a discreet spot on the wall first, which is what the test patch mentioned above is for.
How much does brick repair cost in Riverside?
The price comes down to how many joints need cutting out, how deep they've worn, how much wall there is, how easy it is to reach and whether any bricks need replacing. Testing the original mortar adds cost and is usually only worth it on historic projects that have to match existing conditions closely, since for most homes the age of the house says a lot about what's in the old mortar. Your written estimate gives you the figure for your wall.
Does a historic home in Riverside need city approval for brick repair?
Yes, if the house is a designated or eligible historic resource or sits in a historic district or neighborhood conservation area, because the City of Riverside lists a Certificate of Appropriateness for any rehabilitation, alteration or change to those buildings. If your house might fall under that, I check with the city before we start, not after. Owners of qualified historic homes can also ask the city's historic preservation program about a Mills Act contract, which gives property tax relief in return for restoring and maintaining the house.
Do changes to a masonry contract have to be in writing in California?
Yes. In California any change to a home improvement contract has to be in writing, easy to understand, and tell you about your right to cancel. Our estimate starts out in writing too, so you have something to compare any change against.
Get a written brick repair estimate
Send photos of the crumbling or cracked joints and roughly when your house was built, since age hints at the original mortar. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free on-site estimate with no obligation.
Brick and mortar repair work
Other work around your brick
Driveway pavers
When a cracked driveway sits beside your brick walls or planters, pavers give you a surface that can be lifted and reset in sections later.
Learn moreRetaining wall construction
A wall leaning or bulging under the weight of soil needs a proper footing and drainage behind it, which fresh mortar in the joints can't give it.
Learn more