Masonry restoration in Mesquite TX - sound joints that match your old brick
Mortar crumbling, cracking or washing out of your brick? We repair the joints that need it, fix what's causing it and leave the rest alone.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What's involved in restoring worn brick and mortar on a Mesquite house?
Masonry restoration in Mesquite brings tired brick back into sound shape. Most of the work is cutting out worn mortar and repointing the joints, and it often comes with gentle cleaning, swapping out damaged bricks and fixing whatever sent water into the wall.
Most walls I look at aren't failing. The mortar has worn back in a few spots, there's a crack under a window or one corner is stained where a gutter spills over, and you want to know whether it needs fixing now. The price mostly follows how many joints need cutting out, since that's slow hand work, along with how much cleaning the brick needs, how high we have to work and whether there's a drainage problem to fix. The schedule turns on the size of the job and whether a permit is involved, and the estimate lays out your options plainly so you can decide what to do now and what can wait. If your trouble is mainly the joints, our tuckpointing page covers that work on its own.
How can you tell your brick and mortar need restoring?
Mortar washing out of joints
The joints have sunk back from the brick face, or they turn to sand when you rub them with a thumb. That usually means the mortar has worn with age and water, and if you leave it, water sits deeper in the wall and the brick edges start to wear too.
Cracks along the bricks
You see thin cracks in the mortar, or a gap opening between a brick and the joint around it. It's often movement or old mortar letting go, and it rarely needs fixing tomorrow, but each crack gives water one more way in.
Stains below a downspout
White powder, dark streaks or green growth show up in one spot on the wall. That usually means water runs down the brick there again and again, and new mortar won't hold up well until that water is dealt with.
Work that often goes with restoration
Fireplace installation
If your fireplace is cracked, outdated or never drew well, a new firebox and surround can be built while we're already on site for the masonry work.
Stone veneer installation
When a wall has too many mismatched patches or damaged bricks to blend back in, a new stone face can give it a fresh, even look.
How we handle masonry restoration
I start every restoration by hunting down the cause, because a leaking downspout or a gutter that dumps on one corner will wash out new mortar the same way it did the old. Once that's sorted out, we clean the brick with the gentlest method that gets it clean, starting at low water pressure and turning it up only if we have to. We don't grit blast or grind the face, since those usually take some of the brick off along with the dirt. Then we cut out the worn joints, mix a mortar that suits what's already in your wall, pack the joints and tool them to match the old ones. It's a lot like cooking, where the prep decides how the dish turns out, so we cover your beds and walks before we cut and clean up as we go, a habit I brought with me from the kitchen.
Restoration sometimes turns up other work on the same house. If the firebox inside is too far gone to repair, we can take on a fireplace installation while we're there, and some owners decide a worn column or feature wall would look better in stone, which is where stone veneer installation comes in.
Spot repointing
This suits walls where the trouble is in patches, such as under a window or beside a downspout. We cut out only those joints and leave the sound ones alone.
Full-wall repointing
This suits older walls where the mortar has worn back across the whole face. It's a bigger job, but the wall ends up with one even look instead of a patchwork.
Get a plain-spoken plan for your brick and mortar
We reply within 1 business day to set a time, then I come out for a free, obligation-free estimate at your property. You can also call (972) 402-6919.
Call (972) 402-6919Why Mesquite homeowners call Stonework Mesquite Concrete and Masonry for restoration
The owner looks at your wall
I come out myself, answer your questions and put the estimate together, and a crew of trained masons does the work while I check in on site. You'll understand what we're fixing and why before anyone picks up a trowel.
Doing mortar work since 2013
We've been in business since 2013, and careful mortar and brick repair is what we're best known for. That's why I'm comfortable telling you when a joint can wait.
Licensed and fully insured, on site
We're licensed and fully insured. That matters on a wall job, with ladders and cutting tools working right next to your house.
Permits handled with the city
When a job needs a permit, we handle the application with Mesquite's Building Inspection Division and line up the inspections. If it's not clear whether your wall needs one, we check with that office before any work starts.
On restoration, the right mortar and a fixed water problem matter more than anything else. Reach us through our contact page and I'll come take a look.
What happens after you call about your brickwork in Mesquite?
Call or send a message
Call (972) 402-6919 or use the form and tell us which walls are bothering you. We'll set a time for me to come out.
Walk the wall together
I look at the joints with you, point out what I see and show you anything feeding water into the wall. Your estimate lays out the options plainly, from a few patches to a full wall, so you can choose what fits your budget now and what can wait.
Permits first, then the work
When you're ready, we take care of any city or county steps before we start. Then our crew does the work we agreed on, and I stop by while they're at it.
Walk the finished job
Before we pack up, I walk the wall with you and show you what we did and why. I'll also point out what to keep an eye on later, like the joints that take the most water.
Common questions
How do I know if my brick mortar needs repointing?
Your joints need repointing when the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch, crumbles, has holes, or shows hairline cracks or cracks between the brick and the mortar. Sound original joints are better for the wall than repointed ones, so you can ask for only the bad joints to be redone, and that's usually how I'll price it.
Can small cracks in brick mortar wait to be fixed?
Often they can, because many brick walls, including cavity and veneer walls, can handle the bit of moisture that minor cracks let in. Cracks of any size can still let more water in over time, so it's worth planning the repair rather than rushing it. I'll tell you which ones can wait and which I'd do first.
How long do mortar joints last on a brick house?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on how much weather the wall takes and what the mortar is made of, while the brick itself can last well over 100 years. That makes repointing regular upkeep over a brick wall's life, not a sign the house is falling apart.
What kind of mortar should be used to repoint old brick?
New mortar should be about as strong as the original or a little weaker in compressive strength, which is how much weight it can carry, because mortar that's too hard can damage brick beyond repair. Think of a wooden spoon in a nonstick pan, where the softer one gives so the pan doesn't. Ask any crew what mortar they plan to use, and I'll show you what I'd mix for your wall and why.
How much does masonry restoration cost in Mesquite?
It comes down mostly to how many joints need cutting out and repointing, because that's slow, careful hand work. Cleaning, replacing damaged brick, working up high and fixing a drainage problem all add to it, while limiting the repair to the joints that need it keeps the job smaller. I'll give you your figure once I've seen the wall.
Who issues construction permits for brick work in Mesquite?
The City of Mesquite issues construction permits and inspects new and remodel work on homes. To apply through the city's online permit system, you have to be a licensed contractor or a homeowner who owns, lives in and homesteads the home through the Dallas Central Appraisal District. If you want to ask whether your job needs a permit, the city's building inspection office answers permit and code questions at 972-216-6212.
Send photos of your worn mortar joints
Snap a few close-ups of the crumbling or cracked joints before you call (972) 402-6919 or fill out the form, so I already have an idea of what's going on before I come out.