Meatpacking District Repointing
Brick Pointing in the Meatpacking District
Former meat market buildings and warehouses carry decades of weather in their mortar. We cut out failed joints and refill them to match the original brick.
- Mortar and joint style matched to the building
- Landmark rules flagged before work begins
- Free visit and written estimate
Why Do Old Market Buildings Lose Their Mortar?
The Meatpacking District is full of old market and warehouse buildings, and their brick has weathered for a long time. Mortar softens, sand washes out of the joints and water finds its way behind the face. Repointing renews that outer layer before the brick itself is damaged.
Buildings here have lived through changes of use, from meat handling to shops, restaurants and offices. Every change tends to add alterations: cut openings, mounted signs, drilled holes for anchors and canopies. Each one is a spot where mortar can crack or water can enter.
- Sandy, powdery joints on exposed elevations
- Gaps around old anchors and cut openings
- Mortar that has been patched with the wrong color or hardness
- Stains below open joints on upper walls
- Loose brick near sign mounts and canopy brackets
- Weathered parapets and window sills
Low lying blocks near the Hudson are exposed to wind and river air. Ground floor walls near the sidewalk also take splash from street cleaning and rain.
Joints Open on Your Facade?
Early repointing costs far less than rebuilding brick that water has damaged.
How We Fix It
How Is Old Brick Repointed Without Harming It?
We remove old mortar to a sound depth with care, so the brick edges stay crisp. New mortar is mixed to suit the brick, since a mix much harder than the brick can crack it. Joints are packed in layers and tooled to match the existing profile.
Matching is more than color. Older buildings often have specific joint widths and shapes. We study the existing work and test a small area so you can see the result before the whole wall is done.
Where bricks have split or spalled, we reset or replace them first. Pointing over a loose brick only hides the problem for a season.
Access matters on taller walls. We plan scaffold or lifts as part of the estimate, and we tell you which parts of the work need sidewalk protection.
What Do Landmark Rules Mean for Repointing?
Part of the district is the Gansevoort Market Historic District. In a historic district, the Landmarks Preservation Commission may review work that changes a building’s exterior, including mortar color and joint style. Before you order materials, check with the city on whether your block needs a Landmarks sign off.
That review matters because wrong mortar can alter how a facade looks and how it ages. We bring samples and match them to the existing joints, which gives your application the detail it needs.
Scaffolding over a public sidewalk needs its own permits, and the Department of Buildings may be involved. We tell you at the visit what a given wall will need.
Taller buildings fall under Local Law 11, the facade inspection program for buildings over six stories. If your building is covered, repointing often appears as a repair item on an inspection report.
If work above the street disturbs the sidewalk, owners should also know their duty to maintain it. See the guide to sidewalk violations for the basics.
Why Us
Why Landmark Area Owners Pick Us
Careful matching
Mortar color, hardness and joint shape are tested on a small area first.
Permit awareness
We flag Landmarks and Buildings questions before work begins.
25+ years in NYC
Old masonry in tight urban sites is familiar work.
Nearby
Brick Pointing Near the Meatpacking District
We also repoint brick in the older neighborhoods around it.
FAQ
Meatpacking District Pointing Questions
In a historic district, it may be required for some exterior work. Current city rules may differ for your block.
We test a small area, compare color and texture and choose a mix that is not harder than the brick.
Cutting out old mortar makes noise, and dust is controlled as far as the site allows. We tell you the days that are loudest.
Cracked, loose or flaking bricks point to deeper problems. We mark them at the visit and price their repair separately.
We do. Call (718) 468-8803 and tell us the address and number of floors.
Free on site estimate
Renew Your Meatpacking District Brickwork
A test patch, a written scope and mortar chosen for your wall.
Contact
Request a Meatpacking District Pointing Estimate
Give the address, the number of floors and photos of the worst joints.
- 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.