Gravesend Brick Pointing
Brick Pointing in Gravesend, Brooklyn
Failed mortar cut out and replaced on the attached brick houses, chimneys and apartment buildings that fill the streets of Gravesend.
- Mortar matched to your brick
- Chimneys and parapets handled
- Written price after a free visit
Why Do Gravesend Brick Houses Need Repointing?
The neighborhood is full of brick, and brick joints age. Attached and semi detached two family houses have front walls, side walls and chimneys held together by mortar that wears out after decades of rain, wind and freezing weather.
Gravesend is a south Brooklyn neighborhood of attached and semi detached two family brick houses, detached homes and apartment buildings. Many of the brick houses went up in the decades after the neighborhood grew beyond its old town square near Gravesend Neck Road and McDonald Avenue.
On a semi detached house, one side wall is exposed and shares no protection from a neighbor. That wall takes the worst of the weather, and its joints are often the first to open.
- Crumbling or sandy mortar joints
- Gaps between mortar and brick
- Loose brick at chimney tops
- Staining below sills and copings
- Open joints on exposed side walls
- Cracks over doors and windows
Look for grit at the base of the wall or on the driveway beside it. It usually means the joints are shedding.
Mortar Crumbling on Your House?
A few photos from the street are enough for a first look. We will visit and give you a price.
How We Repoint
How Is Brick Repointed the Right Way?
The old mortar is cut out to a consistent depth, the joints are cleaned, and new mortar is packed in and tooled to match. Shallow cutting or smearing new mortar over old is what causes early failure, so depth and cleaning matter most.
Mortar has to suit the brick. Old soft brick wants a softer mortar, and a mix that is too hard can crack the brick face instead of the joint. If we are unsure what the wall contains, we say so and explain how we would test.
On a two family house, we usually work from a ladder or a small scaffold, and we protect windows, shrubs and cars below. Taller apartment buildings need staging or a lift, which affects the price.
Chimneys get special care. Their joints are exposed on all sides, and we check the crown and flashing while we are up there.
| Where | What we do |
|---|---|
| Front wall with failing mortar | Repoint the wall or the worst areas |
| Exposed side wall | Cut out and repoint, then check for leaks |
| Chimney top | Repoint the courses and inspect the crown |
| Stoop sides | Repoint and reset loose brick |
| Sills and lintels | Repoint and seal against water |
What Rules Apply to Brick Pointing Here?
Repointing a small house generally does not need a Department of Buildings permit, but scaffolds, sheds and work over the public sidewalk can. Buildings taller than six stories fall under the facade inspection rules of Local Law 11. Confirm current rules with the city.
Most Gravesend houses are well below six stories, so the facade program does not apply. Larger apartment buildings along Kings Highway and Avenue U may be near or over that height, and their owners should check with the city or an engineer.
If the work covers the sidewalk, we plan pedestrian protection and file what is needed.
Should You Repoint Before Winter?
Yes, if you can. Open joints let water in, and freeze and thaw widens them over the winter. Repointing in late summer or early fall lets the mortar cure in mild weather and gets the wall ready for the cold.
Cold snaps and rain right after work can damage fresh mortar, so we watch the forecast and cover finished areas when needed. Owners who wait for spring often find that a winter of freeze damage added to the job.
Can Repointing Stop a Damp Wall or Leak?
It stops water entering through open joints. If damp comes from a leaking gutter, a bad roof edge or ground water, new mortar alone will not solve it. We look for the real source before we quote, and we tell you what else needs attention.
Water stains under a window, damp plaster inside an exterior wall and peeling paint on a party wall can all be signs of mortar failure. They can also come from other leaks. A short inspection tells the difference.
Where the wall is sound and only the joints have failed, repointing is the right and least costly fix.
How Long Does Repointing Take?
A house front usually takes days, not weeks, depending on the wall area and height. Mortar needs dry weather and time to cure. We give a schedule with the price and tell you if permits for staging could add time.
If two houses share a party wall, we plan the work with both owners so the joints between the two facades match.
What About Brick Near the Old Town Square?
The old Gravesend town square area near Gravesend Neck Road and McDonald Avenue has some of the oldest buildings and grounds in the neighborhood, including Gravesend Cemetery and the Lady Moody-Van Sicklen House. Work near landmarks can call for extra care and approvals.
We cannot confirm that any historic district covers Gravesend. But individual landmarks are protected, and work on a landmarked building generally needs Landmarks Preservation Commission approval. If your building is one, or you are not sure, ask the city before repointing.
For the ordinary brick houses on the surrounding blocks, standard repointing rules apply and no special approval is needed for the mortar work itself.
Why Us
Why Gravesend Owners Call Us
Mortar matched to brick
We choose the mix for the brick in your wall, not a one size fits all bag.
25+ years in business
We have repaired brick across the boroughs we serve for more than 25 years.
Plain estimates
Wall area, height and access are written down before we start.
Nearby
Brick Pointing Near Gravesend
We repoint brick in the neighborhoods around Gravesend.
FAQ
Gravesend Brick Pointing Questions
Look for sandy or missing mortar, gaps between brick and mortar and staining below the sills. A quick inspection tells us how deep the damage goes.
Yes. We repoint the exposed courses, check the crown and flashing and tell you if the chimney needs more than pointing.
We aim to match color and texture as closely as the wall allows. Fresh mortar looks lighter at first and weathers toward the old.
It stops water entering through open joints. If the leak comes from a roof or gutter, we tell you so it can be fixed too.
Yes. We inspect and give a written price at no cost. Call (718) 468-8803 to book.
Small jobs often do not. Scaffolds, sheds and work over the sidewalk can. Confirm current rules with the city.
Free on site estimate
Repoint Your Gravesend Brick
One visit, a written price and mortar that suits your wall.
Contact
Request a Gravesend Pointing Quote
Tell us the house type, the height and where the mortar is failing. A photo of the wall helps.
- Call us(718) 468-8803
- HoursMon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Free on site estimate with a written price
- Licensed and insured, 25+ years in business
- We handle DOT sidewalk permits
- Serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx
Get Your Free Estimate
Takes about a minute. No cost and no obligation.