Brick pointing in Springfield IL - tight mortar joints and brick edges left intact
Crumbling, cracked or sunken mortar lets water into your brick. We clear the bad joints and refill them so the wall sheds water again.
Does your brick need repointing?
Brick pointing in Springfield, IL, which most masons call repointing, means cutting worn or damaged mortar out of your brick joints to an even depth and packing them with new mortar, and it's one of the best ways to keep water from working into a brick wall.
Most calls start with sand piling up at the foot of a wall or a joint you can push a key into. The price comes down to how much wall needs cutting out, how high it goes and whether some of the brick is too far gone, which turns part of the job into brick repair as well. The schedule mostly turns on weather, because new mortar needs mild days to cure, and on what your city or village asks for. When I come out, I'll tell you what I see and write up an estimate for your wall.
How we handle brick pointing on older houses
We start by looking the wall over and scraping a few joints, because how soft the old mortar is tells me what the new mix should be. We mix the new mortar no stronger than what's already in the wall, since harder mortar makes the face of the brick break off instead of the joint, and that damage is permanent. On soft old brick, we clear the joints by hand instead of going at them with a grinder, because a grinder in a hurry chews up brick edges and you can't put those back. It's slower, and I think an old house is worth it. Once the joints are cut back to an even depth and brushed clean, we pack the new mortar in, finish each joint and clean the face of the brick before we leave.
Bad joints usually show up first where water sits, and sometimes they're a sign of a bigger problem. On a chimney, crumbling mortar up top can come with loose brick or a cracked cap, and then you need chimney repair, not just new joints. Cracks that step up a wall through the mortar can mean the house is moving, and that's a foundation repair question to settle first, or fresh mortar will just crack along the same line.
Brick pointing, permits and older brick in Springfield
Springfield's Building & Zoning Department issues permits in the city, and its permit list names jobs like roofs, fences, demolition and new buildings but doesn't mention brick pointing, so it isn't settled on paper whether your job needs one. We check with the city or village office for your address before we start, and if a permit is needed, we take care of the paperwork.
New joints should match the old ones in shape, mortar makeup and color, which goes hand in hand with keeping the new mix no stronger than the old. On the older brick houses we work on around Springfield, that means looking hard at what's in the wall before we mix anything, because a bright gray joint on soft red brick looks patched for good. If your house is part of a state tax freeze project, the state historic preservation office reviews that kind of work, so tell me up front and we'll plan the joints with that in mind. We're based in Springfield and work in the cities around it, and we see the same soft old brick on jobs in Jacksonville and Lincoln.
How brick pointing works with us
Call or send the form
Call (217) 210-0722 or send the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time that works. We answer into the evening and on weekends, so you don't have to take off work to talk.
I look your wall over
I come out myself, check the joints up close and tell you what I see, including anything that can wait. Then I write up the estimate, so you have the price in writing before you decide anything.
We check rules and schedule
Once you say go, we check what your city or village asks for and set a date. We aim for mild days so the new mortar can cure properly.
We repoint and walk it
Our crew does the work, and I'm on the wall with them. When we're done, we walk it with you before we pack up.
Get a free estimate on brick pointing and wall repairs
We reply to every call and form within one business day. I'll come out to look at your brick myself and write up a free on-site estimate, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
What people ask about brick pointing
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Your brick needs repointing if the mortar has worn back deeper than a quarter inch, is crumbling, has holes, or shows hairline cracks or gaps between the brick and the mortar. Look closely along the joints and scrape them lightly with a key or a screwdriver, and the soft, sandy spots are the ones that need work.
How much does brick pointing cost in Springfield, IL?
Across the US, repointing 100 square feet of brick usually costs about $500 to $2,500, and that's the market's range, not our price. Walls taller than 8 feet that need scaffolding cost more per square foot than walls up to 8 feet, so a two-story wall runs higher than a garden wall. If cost is the hurdle, Springfield's OPED office runs home repair assistance programs for houses, and you can reach them at 217.789.2377.
How long does new mortar last after repointing?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on how much weather the wall takes and what mortar went in, while the brick itself can last well over 100. That's why repointing makes sense, because you renew the joints and keep the original brick.
Who should I hire to repoint my brick?
Hire someone with real repointing experience, because a good bricklayer isn't automatically good at cutting out and refilling old joints. Before you pick anyone, it's fair to have a crew's repointing work tested and judged, and to ask which mortar they plan to use and why.
Is tuckpointing the same as brick pointing?
Most people use tuckpointing and repointing for the same job, but tuckpointing is also the name of an older finish, a flush joint colored like the brick with a thin line of contrasting mortar shaped on top. Ask which one a quote means, since the same word can cover either. There's more on that finish on our tuckpointing page.
What is the best time of year to repoint brick?
Spring and fall are usually best. One national cost guide calls those seasons ideal when daytime temperatures stay between 40 and 90 degrees for at least 24 to 72 hours, so the mortar can cure, and says emergency work in winter or a heat wave will likely cost more. If your wall is losing mortar now, call anyway and I'll tell you whether it can wait.
Why Springfield homeowners call Artisan Springfield Concrete and Masonry for repointing
I write every estimate myself
I come out to look at every job and write the estimate myself, and once work starts I'm on the wall with our crew. The person who told you what your brick needs is the one making sure it gets done that way.
Repointing older brick since 2013
I started this business in 2013, and repointing and brick repair on older homes is what we're known for. Soft old brick around Springfield needs a slower hand than new work, and it's the work we do most.
Licensed and insured on your job
We're licensed and insured. You shouldn't have to wonder who's covered if something goes wrong on your property.
The truth, even if it's smaller
If only the chimney or one wall needs work, that's what I'll quote, and if your joints can wait a few years, I'll say so. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job, and that starts with not selling you work your house doesn't need.
On repointing, the mortar and the hands doing the cutting matter more than anything else. Get in touch or call (217) 210-0722 and I'll come take a look.
Other work that often comes with repointing
Chimney repair
Chimneys take more weather than any other brick on your house, so loose caps, leaning stacks or bricks coming apart up top usually need more than new mortar.
Foundation repair
If doors stick or a basement wall bows, the house may be moving, and that needs fixing before new mortar on the walls above will hold.
Call about brick pointing and joint repair
Send a few photos of the worst joints and a rough idea of the wall size with the form, and I'll show up already knowing what I'm looking at.
