Brick pointing in Bellingham WA - sound mortar joints that help keep water out
Mortar crumbling or sunk back between your bricks? We clean out the worn joints and refill them so less water gets into the wall.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What's involved in brick pointing and fixing worn mortar?
Brick pointing, also called repointing or tuckpointing, means raking worn mortar out of the joints to an even depth and packing fresh mortar in its place. For brick houses and chimneys in Bellingham, it's one of the most effective ways to cut down the water getting into a wall, and it often goes along with chimney work or a few damaged bricks that need replacing.
Most people call me after they notice sand at the base of a wall or joints that have sunk back from the brick face. The price comes down to how many joints have worn, how high the wall goes and how easy it is to reach, and the schedule turns on those same things plus whatever the office for your address needs before we start. If some bricks are cracked or flaking off at the face, brick repair usually goes with the pointing, and I'll put all of it in one written estimate once I've seen the wall.
How can you tell your brick joints are wearing out?
Joints sunk back from the brick
When the mortar sits back from the brick face and leaves a little ledge, the joint has worn down and isn't shedding water the way it used to. Left alone, more of each joint washes out and a job that started as a few patches turns into a whole wall.
Mortar that rubs off as sand
If you can scratch the mortar out with a key or find grit along the bottom of the wall, it's crumbling and has lost its grip on the brick. Those joints let water straight in, and the bricks around them are usually the next thing to suffer.
Cracks or gaps at the joints
Thin cracks through the mortar, or a dark line where it's pulled away from the brick, give water an easy path behind the face. On their own they're usually a repointing job, but if the cracks step up the wall like stairs, I'll look at what's moving underneath first.
Work that often goes with pointing
Chimney repair
A chimney that leaks into the attic or stains the ceiling around it may need its cap or roof seal fixed along with the worn joints.
Foundation repair
If the wall has bowed, doors near it have started sticking, or cracks keep coming back after patching, the trouble may start in the foundation.
How we handle brick pointing on your house
I start by walking the wall with you and marking the joints that have worn, because we point those and leave the good ones as they are. Original joints in good shape hold up better than repointed ones, so there's no reason to cut them out. Our masons then rake the worn mortar out to an even depth, mix a mortar that suits your brick and the old mortar, pack the joints in layers and shape the face of each one to match the joints around it, then brush the brick clean.
Worn joints are sometimes the visible end of a bigger problem. If the cracks follow a stair pattern or the brick has shifted, I'll check whether the wall needs foundation repair first, since fresh mortar in a wall that's still moving will just crack again. Chimneys take more weather than any other brick on a house, so when we repoint one we also look at the crown, the cap on top, and the flashing, the metal seal at the roof, and fold anything they need into chimney repair on the same estimate.
Spot repointing
This suits a wall where the wear shows up in patches, often the side that takes the most weather or the joints under a dripping gutter. We fix those joints and leave the rest, which keeps the job to what the wall actually needs.
Repointing a whole wall or chimney
This suits brick where most of the joints have worn back at about the same rate. Doing the whole face at once gives you joints that match in color and finish from one end of the wall to the other.
Get a written estimate for repointing your brick
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, with no obligation, and you can call (360) 255-7006 instead.
Call (360) 255-7006Why Bellingham homeowners call us about worn mortar
See our pointing before hiring
I'm glad to show you pointing we've done so you can judge the joints for yourself before you hire us. A good mason isn't always a good repointer, and the finished work is the fairest test.
I look at every job myself
I walk the wall with you, write the estimate, and check in with our masons and with you while the work is going on. Most of the brick we repoint around Bellingham and the cities near it is on older houses and chimneys, and I'd rather explain a mortar choice twice than have you feel rushed.
Licensed and insured on every job
We're licensed and insured, so the crew working on your wall is covered while they're at your house. Our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Learned brick before laying it
I spent my first years selling brick, block and stone, then learned the trade on job sites next to experienced masons and started this business in 2013. That counter is where I learned to match the mortar to the house it's going on.
On a pointing job the mortar matters most, and the right mix depends on your brick, so call (360) 255-7006 or send us a request and I'll come take a look.
What happens after you call about brick pointing?
Call or send a request
Call (360) 255-7006 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out. If your house is on Bellingham's historic register, mention it, because it changes what the city asks for.
Walk the wall together
I look at the joints with you, answer your questions and leave a written estimate. It spells out which joints we'd repoint, the mortar I'd use and the price, so you can see what's driving the cost before you decide.
Check with the city first
Before we set a start, we check what the office for your address needs and tell you what it says. In Bellingham that's the city's permit center, which takes building and land-use applications by email at permits@cob.org, and if a permit is needed we help you with the application.
Our masons do the work
Our masons rake out and refill the joints we agreed on while I check in with them and with you along the way. When it's done, we clean the brick face and walk the wall with you.
Common questions
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Your brick needs repointing when the mortar has worn back more than a quarter inch from the face, crumbles, has gaps or holes in it, or shows hairline cracks or cracks along the edges of the brick. Any one of those, like the signs above, is reason enough to book the work. A key run along a joint usually tells you quickly whether the mortar is still sound.
What kind of mortar is best for repointing old brick?
The best repointing mortar is softer than both your brick and the original mortar, and lets water pass through it. Mortar that's harder than the brick puts serious stress on the wall as it heats and cools, while a softer mix takes the wear itself, and mortar is easier to replace than brick. It also has to breathe, because water that can't get back out can get trapped in the wall, freeze and badly damage the masonry, so I pick the mix after I've seen your brick and the old joints.
How long does brick repointing last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, and the bricks themselves may well last beyond 100. How long yours hold up depends on how much weather the wall takes and the mortar used, so it makes sense to plan repointing as regular upkeep over the life of the wall.
Who can do brick repointing work in Washington?
In Washington, every construction contractor has to register with the Department of Labor & Industries and be bonded and insured, and you can look up a registered contractor there before you hire. Beyond that, repointing should go to someone with real experience at it, because even an excellent mason isn't always qualified for this particular work.
How much does brick pointing cost in Bellingham?
The cost of brick pointing comes down mostly to how many joints have worn, because repointing is slow, labor-heavy handwork and labor is most of the bill. How high the wall is, how easy it is to reach and whether it's a chimney also move the price, and fixing only the worn joints keeps the labor where it's needed. I'll give you a written figure once I've seen the wall.
Do I need city approval to repoint a historic house in Bellingham?
If your house is on Bellingham's register of historic places or counts toward a historic district, repairs to it need a certificate of alteration from the city, and that review covers every exterior feature of the property. The city code exempts ordinary repairs and maintenance, and emergency repairs, as the code defines them, so we check with the city which side your job falls on before any mortar comes out.
Get your worn mortar joints looked at
Send a few photos of the worn joints with your request, or email them to sales@bellinghamconcreteandmasonry.com, and I'll come out already knowing what to look for.