Brick Pointing in Lindenwood, Queens

Why Is the Brick on Lindenwood Garden Apartments Losing Mortar?

Decades of weather break mortar down. Rain gets in, freezes and widens the joints, and sun heats and cools the wall every day. Lindenwood sits near Spring Creek and Jamaica Bay, so wind driven moisture reaches the walls more often than inland.

The neighborhood is made up of large co op and condo garden apartment buildings. They have many exterior walls, long runs of brick and plenty of corners and window openings, each with joints that can fail.

Buildings along 153rd Avenue, 80th Street and 88th Street were built around the same time, so their mortar has aged on a similar schedule. When one building shows damage, its neighbors are often close behind.

What boards see first

The first signs are usually small. A tenant reports a damp patch inside a wall, or maintenance spots sandy mortar at a corner. Acting then can limit how much of the wall needs work.

What Rules Affect Brick Work on Co Op and Condo Buildings?

Repointing a low rise building usually does not trigger the same rules as sidewalk work. Scaffolding above a public sidewalk, structural brick repair and taller buildings can bring the city into it. Local Law 11 reaches any building taller than six stories. Confirm current rules with the city.

Any scaffold that stands over a public sidewalk needs city approval, and sidewalk work generally needs a DOT permit. We tell you which permits your phase needs.

We do not know of a historic district in Lindenwood, so landmark rules are unlikely to apply.

Board members sometimes ask how long a repointing job lasts. Done properly, with the right mix and the right depth, it lasts for decades. The wall still needs a look every few years, since sills, parapets and corners fail first.

If an inspection finds bulging brick or a crack that runs through several courses, the problem may be structural. A licensed engineer may need to review it before we start.