Repointing on the Hill
Brick Pointing in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
Worn joints, loose bricks and leaking parapets repaired on Sunset Park row houses, walk ups over stores and older commercial buildings.
- Old mortar cut out and replaced by hand
- Row house fronts, parapets and chimneys
- Free visit and a written price
Aging Brick
Why Do Sunset Park Brick Buildings Need Repointing?
In a brick wall, the mortar is the part designed to wear out first. It is softer than the brick and wears away first. On Sunset Park's older row houses and walk ups, decades of rain, freeze and thaw and wind off the bay have opened joints, and open joints let water into the wall.
The neighborhood is rich in brick and limestone row houses. Streets like those off 5th Avenue and 8th Avenue have long rows of them, and walk up apartment buildings stand above storefronts on the avenues. Many were built long ago, and their original mortar is often past its useful life.
Upper New York Bay sits just to the west, and wind comes off the water with little to stop it. On the west facing walls of a building, rain drives into joints harder than on a sheltered side. That is why one side of a building often looks much worse than the others.
Storefront buildings have an extra weakness. The brick above a shop front sits on a beam, and water that gets behind it rusts the steel. Repointing the wall above a store is often the first step in heading off a bigger lintel repair, and we check the beam when we are on site.
Signs to watch for include sandy joints, gaps you can put a fingernail into, bricks that have shifted and white powder on the surface. If you see them, water is already getting in.
How Should Old Brick Be Repointed?
Carefully, with the right mortar. Old brick is often softer than modern brick, and a hard mortar can damage it. We cut out the failing mortar to a sound depth, clean the joints, pack in a compatible mix and tool the joint to match the profile of the wall. Loose bricks are reset.
Mortar choice is the central decision. A mix that is too hard traps water in the brick and makes the face flake. We match the mix to the age and type of the wall, and test the color on a small area first so you can approve it.
Depth also matters. Skim coats that only cover the surface fall out in a season or two. A proper repoint removes old mortar to a depth about equal to the width of the joint, then fills it in layers.
Parapets and chimneys get special attention. They are exposed on every side, so their joints go first, and a loose brick up there can drop to the sidewalk. On streets with steady foot traffic, such as those near 8th Avenue, we treat a shifted parapet brick as urgent and talk through temporary protection while the repair is planned.
Work is done from a scaffold or lift, from the top down. That keeps loose mortar and dust from landing on finished work, and we clean as we go. On a row house front, the job is usually short. Walk ups and longer facades are staged in sections so entrances and stores stay open.
Crumbling mortar or a brick out of line on your front wall? Book a look.
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Do Sunset Park's Historic Districts Affect Brick Pointing?
They can. Sunset Park North, Sunset Park South and Sunset Park 50th Street are historic districts. In a district, facade work can need Landmarks Preservation Commission approval, and matching the original brick and mortar matters. Repointing to match the existing joints is usually the easiest kind of work to approve.
Check whether your building is in a district before you plan the job. Changes to the look of a facade, such as a different mortar color, painted brick or new brick, draw more attention than a careful repair that leaves the wall looking as it did.
Facade inspections under Local Law 11 cover buildings taller than six stories, on a five year cycle. Most row houses are lower, but some taller apartment or commercial buildings in the neighborhood may be covered. Confirm your building's status with the city.
Timing matters for mortar. It cures best in mild weather, so spring and fall are ideal for exterior repointing. Winter work is possible in warm spells, but we would rather schedule the bulk of a facade job when the mortar has time to set. If a safety issue cannot wait, we protect the area and make it safe first.
If you have an engineer's report, we can carry out the repointing items on it and give you photos of the finished work.
Pricing
What Decides Brick Pointing Costs in Sunset Park?
Wall area
The number of square feet of joints sets most of the labor.
Height and access
Upper floors, parapets and chimneys need a scaffold or lift.
Mortar matching
Older brick needs a softer mix and color that blends with the wall.
Depth of damage
Deeply eroded joints take more mortar and time.
Brick condition
Cracked or flaking bricks are replaced and priced separately.
Approvals
Landmark review, sidewalk sheds and permits add steps to the schedule.
How It Goes
A Repointing Job from Inspection to Cleanup
Inspect the wall
We look at joints, bricks, flashing and the roofline for water paths.
Written price
You get a price listing areas, access and any brick replacement.
Set up access
On a tall wall we put up a scaffold or lift before anything else.
Cut out and repoint
Old mortar comes out, joints are cleaned and new mortar is packed and tooled.
Clean up
We clear debris, remove the setup and walk the wall with you.
Nearby
Brick Pointing Near Sunset Park
We repoint brick in the neighborhoods next to Sunset Park as well.
FAQ
Sunset Park Repointing Questions
It should not. We match the joint profile and mortar color to the existing wall, and we test a small area first.
Yes. Many owners start with the street facade. We can price the sides and rear separately.
Inside a historic district, facade work may need approval, though careful matching repairs are usually simpler. Confirm with the city for your address.
That is efflorescence, salt left when water moves through the wall and dries. It signals moisture, and we look for the source.
A chimney or small wall takes a few days. A full facade takes longer. You get a schedule with the price.
Yes. Call (718) 468-8803 for a no cost visit to your Sunset Park wall, then a written price for the repointing.
Contact
Tell Us About Your Sunset Park Brick
Describe the building and where the joints are failing. Photos of the wall and roofline help.
- 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.