Brick pointing in Athens GA - new mortar joints that protect your old brick
Mortar crumbling out of the joints or cracking along the brick? We clear the worn mortar and refill the joints without harming your brick.
Does my brick need repointing, and what does the job involve?
Brick pointing, also called repointing or tuckpointing, means removing the worn mortar from the joints, the filled seams between your bricks, and packing in fresh mortar. We do it across Athens and the cities around it to keep water out of a brick wall and hold it tight for years, without replacing the brick.
Most people call us after they notice sandy grit at the foot of a wall, or joints that have sunk back from the face of the brick. The price moves with how much wall needs new joints, how deep the old mortar has gone and how high we have to work. The schedule turns on those same things, plus any historic review your house needs. I'll know more once I've seen the wall up close, and the estimate I write up will say what we'll do and why.
What happens when you call us about brick pointing in Athens?
Call or send the form
You call (706) 395-0746 or fill out the form, and we get back to you to set a time for me to come out. If you can, tell us roughly which walls are giving you trouble so I know where to start looking.
I look at the wall with you
I come out myself, look at the joints with you, listen to what you've noticed and answer whatever you want to ask, even twice. Then I write up an estimate that says what we'll do and why, so you know what you're paying for before anything starts.
We handle the paperwork and scheduling
Once you say yes, we take care of any permit the job needs, and if your home is in a local historic district we plan around the county's review. Staff review of that approval averages about 3 business days, though the rules allow up to 45 days, so we set the start date with that in mind.
Our crew renews the joints
I work alongside our crew, and on a tall wall we may put up scaffolding, so expect us outside your house for a while because good pointing is slow, careful and noisy. When we're done, I walk the finished wall with you.
How we do brick pointing, and the repairs that often go with it
Brick outlasts the mortar around it, so most of this job is protecting the brick while we renew the joints. We clear the old mortar carefully at the brick edges, because a power saw run down thin joints like most brick has almost always chips the edges and overcuts the short vertical joints, and you can't put that brick back. Then we pick a mix that's no harder than what's already in the wall, since mortar stronger than the original can damage the brick in ways that can't be repaired. We pack the joints in layers, shape them to match the rest of the wall, clean the brick face and leave the yard the way we found it. We're fully licensed and insured, and when you're comparing masons, ask each one how they'll take the old mortar out and how their mix compares with yours.
Get a brick pointing estimate at your house
We reply to every message within one business day to set a time, and I come out myself to look at the wall and write up a free estimate. There's no obligation, so you can take it, think it over or compare it with others.
Brick pointing questions from Athens homeowners
How do I know my brick needs repointing?
Your brick likely needs repointing if the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the face, crumbles when you rub it, has holes or shows hairline cracks. Cracks running between the brick and the mortar are a sign too, and you can check for all of these yourself before you call.
How long does mortar last between bricks?
Mortar joints usually last more than 25 years, while the brick itself can last well over 100. That means a brick house will likely need repointing more than once in its life while the brick stays right where it is, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
How much does brick repointing cost in Athens, GA?
Across the US, professional brick repointing usually costs about $400 to $2,500 per 100 square feet of wall, and that's a national range for the work, not our price. Matching an older mortar and working high off scaffolding tend to push a job toward the upper end, and your estimate will spell out what we'll do on your wall and why.
Do I need approval to repoint my brick house in an Athens historic district?
If your home is in a local historic district or is an individual local landmark, Athens-Clarke County requires a Certificate of Appropriateness, a county approval, before exterior changes. I'll bring it up early at the estimate so the review fits your plans, and the usual wait is in the steps above.
Can new mortar match the old mortar on my brick house?
It can usually come close, and the standard advice is to place a sample of the new mortar in an out-of-the-way spot on the wall first to check the match. Color depends on the sand and how the joint is shaped as much as the mix, so it's fair to ask to see a sample before the whole wall gets done.
What causes mortar to wash out of a brick wall near a downspout?
Water from a leaking downspout can leach mortar right out of the joints, so new mortar in that spot won't hold up until the water stops. The usual guidance is to replace the downspout and repair any other drainage problems, and if I see that kind of damage I'll point it out at the estimate.
Other work your brick may need
Foundation repair
When stair-step cracks keep coming back in the same joints after repointing, the wall underneath may be moving, and fixing the footing comes before the mortar.
Chimney repair
Chimney brick takes water from every side, so loose top courses, a cracked crown or open joints up there often need repair along with the walls below.
Send us photos of your worn joints
A few photos of the worst joints, a rough guess at the wall's square footage and whether your home sits in a historic district let me come out ready to talk specifics, so call (706) 395-0746 or use the form.