Brick Pointing in Bronxwood, Bronx

Why Does the Mortar on Bronxwood Brick Houses Fail?

Between brick and mortar, the mortar is the softer part, so it wears down first. On the brick two family houses and small apartment buildings of Bronxwood, decades of rain, frost and wind have eaten into the joints. Once gaps open, water gets into the wall and loosens the bricks around it.

Not every house here is brick. Many are frame, and those need other work. This page is for the brick ones, where pointing is a real maintenance task.

Look at the joints on the side that faces the weather and at the chimney. Those spots usually go first, and a chimney in poor shape is a safety matter because loose bricks fall.

How Is a Brick Wall Repointed Properly?

The crew grinds or chisels out the old mortar to a safe depth, cleans the joints and fills them in layers with mortar matched to the brick. Joints are tooled to a neat finish. Any loose bricks are removed and set back before pointing begins.

Mortar strength matters. A mix that is much harder than old brick can crack the brick face, so we choose a compatible one and test the color on a small patch when appearance counts.

On a two family house, the job is usually done in one stretch with ladders or a light scaffold. We keep walkways clear and sweep up debris each day.

Color and texture are part of the job. Old mortar often has sand and lime that give it a particular shade, and we try to match that so the wall does not look patched.

Chimneys are done last, since they need safe access and careful removal of loose brick.