Brick pointing in Hilo HI - firm joints that help keep moisture out of your brick
Mortar crumbling or wearing back from the brick? We cut out the worn joints and repoint them with a mix no harder than your brick.
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- Brick pointing
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- (808) 229-1042
How can you tell your brick mortar is wearing out?
Mortar set back from brick
The mortar sits below the edges of the brick, and you can feel a ledge when you run a finger along the joint. That usually means years of wear have eaten it back, and the longer it waits, the more room water has to sit in the joint and work deeper into the wall.
Joints that crumble or powder
If the mortar turns to sand when you scrape it, or pieces have dropped out and left gaps, it has lost its hold on the brick. Left alone, those gaps let moisture straight into the wall, and loose brick tends to follow.
Thin cracks along the joints
Hairline cracks in the mortar, or a fine line where the mortar has pulled away from the brick, mean the joint isn't sealed anymore. Caught early, it's usually just repointing, and we also check whether the cracks point to something moving behind the wall.
When does brick need repointing, and what does the job involve?
Brick pointing in Hilo means cutting the worn mortar out of your brick joints to an even depth and packing in new mortar, and it's one of the most effective ways to cut down on moisture getting into a brick wall. Some houses need a few joints redone and some need the whole wall, and I'll tell you which once I've measured.
Most homeowners call when the mortar starts to look tired, and the real question is how much of the wall needs work. The price moves with the area of wall, how high we have to reach, how deep the joints are worn and how soft the brick is, because soft brick takes slower, more careful removal. The schedule turns on the same things, and on whether something behind the damage, like a leak or a wall that's moving, has to be fixed first. When I come out, I measure and put the scope in writing, so you have a figure for your wall and not a guess.
Details to note before an estimate
- Rough wall size in square feet
- Which walls, steps or chimney to include
- Spots where mortar crumbles or has gaps
- Age of the house and the brick
How we do brick pointing on your house
First I find out why the old mortar failed, because new mortar won't last long if the water that ruined the old mortar is still getting in. Then our crew cuts the worn mortar out of each joint evenly, so the new mortar has a full, clean joint to grip, and we clear out the dust. We mix new mortar that won't be harder than your brick, since mortar stronger than the brick can make the brick face flake off, and we press it in firm and tool it to match the joints around it. We clean the brick and the site before we leave. A good bricklayer isn't always good at repointing, so if you'd like to see our work first, we're glad to start on a section of wall that's out of sight.
Sometimes the joints are only the part you can see. If the cracks tell me the house is settling, new mortar is just a cover, so we'll talk with you about foundation repair before we repoint. When the worn joints are up on the chimney, we look at the whole stack and handle it as chimney repair.
Work that often goes with repointing
Foundation repair
Cracks that run in a stair-step line or open back up after they're filled usually mean the wall is moving, and mortar alone can't stop that.
Chimney repair
Chimney brick is hard to see from the yard, so loose brick, open joints or a cracked top can go unnoticed until water shows up inside.
What happens when you call about brick pointing in Hilo?
Call or send the form
Call (808) 229-1042 or send the form, and add a few photos of the worn joints if you can. We'll set a time for me to come out to your house.
I look the wall over
I measure the wall, check how the old mortar failed and look for what's letting moisture in before I put a price on anything. Repointing over an unfixed problem just means doing it twice.
You get a written scope
Your written estimate lays out which joints we cut out, the mortar we'll use and the price, so you know the number before any work starts. If a permit or an engineer is part of the job, I tell you that up front.
We repoint, then walk it
Our own crew does the work the way the estimate was written, and I run it on site. When it's done, I walk the wall with you before we call it finished.
What people ask about brick pointing
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Your brick needs repointing when the mortar has worn back more than ¼ inch from the face of the brick, crumbles, has gaps, or shows hairline cracks in the joint or between the brick and the mortar. You can check for all of these yourself by looking closely along the joints. Photos of the worst spots help me plan the visit.
How long does brick repointing last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the brick itself may well last more than 100. That makes the joints the part you plan to renew over the life of the wall, and the right mortar keeps the brick from paying for it each time.
How much does brick repointing cost in Hilo?
Across the US, professional brick repointing usually costs about $400 to $2,500 per 100 square feet of wall. That's a national figure, not a Hilo price, and the size, height and condition of your wall decide where you fall in it. I'll measure your wall and give you a written price for it, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Does a mason need a contractor license in Hawaii to repoint brick?
Yes, in most cases, because Hawaii's rules generally require anyone who offers or contracts to do residential construction, alterations or improvements to hold a contractor license. The exception is a job whose total price, counting labor, materials and taxes, is not more than $1,000.00, and only when it also needs no building permit. We're licensed and insured, so that question is settled before we start.
What do I need to do before repointing a historic home in Hilo?
If your home is on the Hawaii register of historic places, the state's historic preservation rules have you notify the state and allow a review before work starts. Preservation guidance says taking out old mortar by hand with chisels is slow but usually the least risk to the bricks, while power saws or grinders in unskilled hands can be disastrous for soft brick, and industry guidance generally saves the weakest mortar type for historic masonry. Tell us when you call if your house is listed.
What is the best way to prepare for brick repointing at my house?
Plan for noise and a slow pace, because repointing is precise, slow and noisy work, and scaffolding may cover that side of the house for some time. Clear plants, furniture and cars away from the wall, and we'll go over where the scaffolding goes when we set the schedule.
Get a written brick pointing estimate for your wall
We reply within one business day to set a time, and the estimate is free, done in person at your house, with no pressure to book. I measure the wall, look at what's causing the trouble and give you the scope and price in writing.
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Send photos of your worn mortar joints
Call (808) 229-1042 or send the form with photos, a rough wall size and whether your home is on the Hawaii register, so I come out ready.