Ocean Parkway Repointing
Brick Pointing on Ocean Parkway, Brooklyn
Failed mortar cut out and replaced on the apartment buildings and large houses along the parkway, with joints matched to the brick.
- Facades, parapets and chimneys
- Mortar matched to the original
- Free visit and a written price
Why Do Ocean Parkway Buildings Need Repointing?
Mortar erodes to protect the brick, and on buildings that are many decades old it has worn back, cracked and crumbled. Water then enters the wall. Ocean Parkway apartment buildings have large brick areas, and the houses have chimneys and parapets that take heavy weather.
The parkway is lined with pre war and postwar apartment buildings, plus large detached and semi detached houses on the service roads and nearby streets. Brick is a common facade material here. Tall buildings in particular have wide surfaces of brick facing wind and rain.
Shade from the mature trees can also matter. Walls that stay damp because of tree cover dry slowly, so mortar joints take more freeze and thaw wear.
You can often spot the problem from the sidewalk. Look for sand under the wall, dark joints, gaps you can push a key into and staining under parapet copings.
The Method
How Does Repointing Work on a Large Brick Wall?
The old mortar is cut out to a set depth, the joints are cleaned of dust and new mortar is packed in and tooled to match the profile. Work goes section by section, top down. Only failed joints need cutting if the rest of the wall is sound, which controls cost on big facades.
Access is the practical challenge on tall buildings. Work may need scaffolding, a swing stage or a lift, with protection for pedestrians below. On houses a ladder or light stage is often enough.
Mortar choice matters as much as depth. Older brick usually needs a softer mix so the mortar takes the wear before the brick does. We can show a test patch so you see the color before the whole wall is done.
Does Local Law 11 Apply to Buildings on Ocean Parkway?
Local Law 11 requires buildings taller than six stories to have their facades inspected every five years. Some apartment buildings along Ocean Parkway may be that tall, and shorter buildings and houses are not covered. Confirm the current rules for your building with the city.
For covered buildings, a licensed professional files an inspection report, and any unsafe conditions must be fixed on a set schedule. Repointing is one of the common repairs that come out of those reports. We can carry out the masonry work an engineer or architect specifies.
For lower buildings, there is no filed report, but the owner is still responsible if a brick falls onto the sidewalk. Regular repointing is cheap protection.
Crumbling Joints on Your Ocean Parkway Building?
Send a photo from the street and we will tell you where to start.
What Repointing Problems Do You See and How Are They Fixed?
Typical problems are eroded joints, cracks along brick lines, loose bricks at parapets and chimney tops with missing mortar. Each has its own repair, from simple repointing to resetting or rebuilding units. The table lists what we usually do for each one.
| What you see | What we do |
|---|---|
| Sand at the base of the wall | Repoint the failed joints to a proper depth |
| Loose brick at the parapet | Reset or replace the brick, then repoint |
| Leaning chimney stack | Rebuild the top courses and repoint |
| Gray patches of hard mortar | Cut them out where the brick allows |
| Water stains inside an exterior wall | Find the leak path and repoint that area |
Roof edges and copings are checked at the same time, since a failed coping lets water into the top of the wall.
Schedule
How Long Does a Repointing Job Take?
It depends on wall area and access. A chimney takes little time. A full facade on a large building takes longer and needs scaffolding. Your written estimate includes a time frame. Jobs with a shed or scaffold over the sidewalk may need permits, which we handle for jobs we do.
Facade survey
We look at joints, parapets, chimneys and loose brick.
Written price
Scope, price and warranty terms in writing.
Permits
DOB permits where the job needs them.
Cut and point
Failed mortar is removed and new mortar tooled in.
Clean and review
The brick is cleaned and we walk the wall with you.
What Does Brick Pointing Cost on Ocean Parkway?
Wall area, height and access, how deep the mortar has failed and how closely the new mortar must match the old set the price. A chimney is small. A full apartment building facade with scaffolding is large. Every price is written after a free visit.
Owners of larger buildings often stage the work: parapets and the worst walls first, the rest in later seasons. That is fine as long as the highest and most exposed areas come first.
Why Is Mortar Matching Important on Older Brick?
Old brick is often softer than modern brick and was laid in lime based mortar. Hard cement mortar pushed into those joints traps water in the brick, which freezes and flakes. A mix matched to the original lets moisture leave through the joint, so the brick lasts.
Pre war buildings along the parkway were built with materials and methods that differ from postwar work. A mason who reads the wall can tell which is which by the brick, the bond pattern and the state of the joints.
Visible color also counts. A patchwork of light and dark mortar on a large facade looks poor from the street. Testing a sample area first avoids that.
If earlier repairs used hard patching, we point that out and explain what to do about it.
Which Part of the Building Should Be Repointed First?
Start with the parapet and chimney. They stand highest, catch the most rain and freeze from every side, so they fail first and cause the most damage below. Fixing them protects walls and ceilings and stops water where it starts.
Front and street facing walls usually come next, since falling debris there is a danger to people on the sidewalk. Side and rear walls follow.
Nearby
Brick Pointing Near Ocean Parkway
We also do repointing in the neighborhoods along the parkway.
FAQ
Ocean Parkway Brick Pointing Questions
Look for sand or powder at the base of the wall, joints you can push a key into and cracks that follow the brick lines. Water stains inside on an exterior wall are another sign.
Yes. They are often the most exposed parts and repointing them alone is a common job.
We carry out masonry repairs that an engineer or architect specifies, including repointing, brick replacement and parapet work.
Fresh mortar starts lighter and darkens over time. We aim to match color and profile, and a test patch shows you the result.
It stops leaks through failed joints. If water enters through a lintel, a coping or a crack in the brick, we find that at the visit.
Yes. Call (718) 468-8803 for a free visit and a written price.
Contact
Ask for an Ocean Parkway Repointing Quote
Describe the wall or parapet and add photos from the street if you can.
- 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.