Brick pointing in Oakland CA - sound joints that keep water out of your brick
Crumbling, cracked or sunken mortar between your bricks? We rake out the worn joints and refill them with a mortar matched to your house.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Does your brick need pointing, and what does it involve?
Brick pointing, which most people also call repointing, means cutting the worn mortar out of the joints in your brick wall and packing new mortar in its place. In Oakland it's the work we're best known for, because it closes the gaps where water gets in and keeps the bricks from working loose.
You've probably noticed sandy mortar on the ground, joints sitting back from the brick face, or a damp spot inside after rain. That usually means the joints have simply worn out, because mortar is meant to be the part that wears. The price moves with how much wall needs it, how deep the damage runs, how high we have to work and whether an old mix has to be matched. The schedule turns on the weather the mortar needs to cure and on whether the city has to sign off first. My written estimate gives you the number for your wall and my honest take on what can wait. If bricks are cracked or loose too, we handle that as brick repair, and if your job needs a permit, we file it and handle the inspections.
How we do brick pointing on your house
Before we mix anything, I look at how old your building is, because older brick wants a softer mortar than new work. Then we walk the walls and mark the joints that have actually failed, so you're not paying to redo mortar that's still sound. We rake the old mortar out to solid material instead of smearing new mortar over the top, which matters most on a historic house. After that we pack the fresh mortar in, tool each joint to match the ones around it and brush the brick clean once it's set.
Worn joints are sometimes a sign of something bigger. If the wall is leaning or the same cracks keep reopening, we look at what's under it and may recommend foundation repair first, because new mortar on a moving wall just cracks again. If the chimney's joints are part of the job, we do that work as chimney repair, since it's up on the roof and comes with its own checks.
Spot pointing for a few bad sections
This suits a wall where the damage sits in a few places, like under a leaky gutter or along the base where sprinklers hit. We fix those sections and match the color and joint shape so the patch doesn't stand out.
Full repointing of a wall or house
This suits a house where the joints are worn across whole walls, which is common once the original mortar has done its years. Doing it at once usually works out cheaper than coming back section by section, and it gives you one even look.
Loose or falling bricks, or water showing up inside, are the time to call rather than wait. Phone (510) 216-0213 and I'll come out and look.
What happens after you call us about brick pointing?
I run every pointing job myself from the first look to the last joint. Here's how it goes, so you know where things stand at each step.
Call or send the form
Tell us where the mortar is failing and, if you know it, the year your house was built. That tells me what kind of mortar I'm likely dealing with before I arrive.
I look at the walls with you
I come out myself, walk the walls with you and check the joints, the brick and where any water is getting in. You get a written estimate with the work and the price laid out, plus my honest take on what can wait.
We handle the city and the work
Once you say go, we take care of anything the city needs and I work on site with the crew. We rake, refill and tool the joints, then clean the brick.
Walk the finished wall together
When the joints are done, we walk the wall with you so you see every section before we pack up. You'll know exactly what was done and where.
Get a written estimate for your brick pointing
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at the walls and give you a free written estimate, with no obligation to go ahead.
(510) 216-0213Brick pointing on older Oakland homes
In Oakland, the city's Bureau of Building oversees construction work, and I won't guess whether your pointing job needs a permit, so we check for your address before we start and take care of it if it does. We're licensed and fully insured. Older houses get extra care here, because the city says its Heritage Properties are protected by design review and the state's historical building code, among other rules. On those walls we skip surface grouting, a thin skim of mortar wiped across the joints, because it's no substitute for real repointing and isn't recommended on historic masonry.
Most of what we see in Oakland is older brick homes, chimneys and garden walls with joints gone soft and sandy, and we see the same on jobs in Berkeley and Alameda. We're based here and work across the East Bay, so on every one of them the first thing I check is what's in the joints now.
Brick pointing questions from Oakland homeowners
How do I tell if my brick needs repointing?
Your brick needs repointing when the mortar has worn back more than about 1/4 inch from the face, crumbles, has gaps, or shows hairline cracks or cracks between the brick and the mortar. You can see all of those from the ground, so a slow walk around the house tells you a lot. Note where you spot them and I'll check those places first.
What mortar should be used to repoint an older brick house?
New mortar should be about as strong as the original or weaker, not stronger. A harder mortar puts the load on the thin new strip and can make the face of the brick flake off, which masons call spalling. Mortar with portland cement, the common binder today, wasn't used in brickwork until after the turn of the twentieth century, and before that lime and sand mortar was the usual mix, so your house's age says a lot about what's in the joints.
How long does repointing last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the brick itself can last more than 100. That means pointing is regular upkeep over the life of a brick wall, not a sign the wall is failing.
How much does brick pointing cost in Oakland?
I give you the cost for your wall in a written estimate after I've seen it, because two walls of the same size can need very different work. Joints worn deep, or bricks that have already spalled and need replacing, push the price up most, which is why catching it early usually costs less. A low wall we can reach from the ground keeps it down.
Can I get a tax break for repairing a historic house in Oakland?
You may, through the city's Mills Act program, which can reduce taxes for historic properties whose owners volunteer to repair and maintain their historic character. If you're in the program or thinking about it, tell me when we meet so the work fits how you plan to care for the house.
What is the best way to remove old mortar without damaging the brick?
The best way is the one that clears the joint without chipping the brick, and that usually means going slower. Power tools clear old mortar faster than hand tools, but they can damage the bricks around the joints, and on soft old brick that damage shows. On older walls I'd rather take the time and keep the edges intact, and anyone cutting out mortar should be wearing safety glasses and a respirator against the dust.
Related masonry work that often comes with pointing
If cracks step diagonally through your brick or keep coming back after pointing, the wall may be moving, and fixing what's underneath stops new mortar from splitting again.
A chimney takes wind and rain on every side, so its joints, crown and flashing usually wear first and can let water down into your house.
Book a look at your worn joints
Call (510) 216-0213 or send the form, and mention whether your house is a Heritage Property so I can plan the mortar and the city side before I arrive.