Kew Gardens Hills Brick Pointing
Brick Pointing in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens
Crumbling mortar replaced on brick homes, garden apartments and co op buildings so water stays out of the wall.
- Crumbling joints ground out and refilled
- New mortar matched to the brick
- Written price after a free visit
Why Does Brick in Kew Gardens Hills Need Repointing?
Joints wear away before the brick does, because mortar is the softer material. After decades of rain and freezing, joints open and let water into the wall. Brick is the main building material in Kew Gardens Hills, so repointing is one of the most useful jobs for keeping homes dry.
Most houses and apartment buildings here are brick. Many were built in the mid twentieth century, and their original mortar is now at the age where it starts to crumble. You can often see it as a sandy powder at the base of the wall.
South facing walls dry quickly, while shaded north walls stay damp and fail sooner. Walls beside driveways take splash from passing cars and get worse faster.
Signs the mortar has failed
Look for joints you can scratch out with a key, gaps wide enough to slide a coin into, and bricks that shift when pressed. Water stains inside the house near an outside wall are another warning.
How Does Repointing Work on Different Buildings Here?
The method is the same, but the scale changes. We cut out old mortar to a sound depth, clean the joints and pack in new mortar that matches the brick. Houses take a few days of work, while larger co op buildings are done in stages.
| Building type | Typical work |
|---|---|
| Attached or semi detached brick home | Repoint the front and side walls, reset any loose bricks and check the chimney |
| Detached brick home | Repoint walls on all sides, starting with the weather side |
| Garden apartment building | Repoint in sections so tenants keep access to every entrance |
| Co op building | Scope the work with the board and plan the staging around the property |
Mortar has to be softer than the brick it holds. A mix that is too hard cracks the brick edges, so we choose the mix to suit the wall.
Do Brick Walls Here Need Permits or Inspections?
Repointing a house does not usually bring the same rules as sidewalk work. Scaffolding over the public sidewalk, structural brick repair and taller buildings can involve the city. If a Kew Gardens Hills building is taller than six stories, Local Law 11 facade inspections apply to it. Confirm current rules with the city.
We do not know of a historic district in Kew Gardens Hills, so landmark rules are unlikely to apply. Check for your address if you are not sure.
If your wall has bulging brick or a crack running through several courses, that may be more than a mortar problem. We tell you when a structural engineer should look at it.
Seeing Sand at the Base of Your Wall?
That powder is often failed mortar. Let us check the wall before water gets further in.
Process
What Happens During a Brick Pointing Job?
We start with a visit and a wall by wall plan. Old mortar is cut out, joints are cleaned and new mortar is packed in and tooled to match. Loose bricks are reset first. A final brush and clean leaves the wall tidy.
Free visit
We look at each wall and test the mortar.
Written price
The estimate lists each wall and the scope.
Cutting out
Crumbling mortar is ground out until the joint is solid.
Pointing
New mortar is packed in and tooled.
Cleanup
The wall is brushed down and the site is cleared.
Nearby
Brick Pointing Near Kew Gardens Hills
We also repoint brick in these nearby neighborhoods.
FAQ
Kew Gardens Hills Brick Pointing Questions
People use both words, and the work is close. Pointing replaces failed mortar in the joints. The written estimate spells out the exact work we plan.
It depends on the wall and the mortar. Many walls last decades, but exposed or shaded walls fail sooner. We check the mortar at the visit.
Color and joint profile are chosen to sit close to your existing wall. Fresh mortar looks lighter and weathers toward the old color over time.
Yes. We plan sections with the board so entrances stay usable.
We do. Call (718) 468-8803 to book a visit.
Contact
Book Your Kew Gardens Hills Brick Pointing Visit
Tell us which walls look worn. Photos of the mortar joints 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.