Brick pointing in Vallejo CA - sound mortar joints matched to your brick
Crumbling, cracked or sunken mortar between your bricks lets water in. We repoint the joints that need it with a mix that suits your wall.
What is brick pointing, and does my wall need it?
Brick pointing, or repointing, means clearing worn mortar out of the joints to an even depth and packing in fresh mortar. On a brick house in Vallejo, it's one of the best ways to cut down on water getting into the wall.
You've probably noticed sand on the ledge under a wall, joints sitting back from the face of the brick, or a thin crack running along a mortar line. The price mostly turns on how many joints need work, how deep they're worn, how high we have to reach and how much care the mortar match takes. The schedule turns on the weather, since fresh mortar wants mild days to set, and on any city review your address needs. If some of the bricks themselves are cracked or loose, that's brick repair, and we can do it along with the pointing. When I come out, I'll walk the wall with you and explain what I'd do and why.
How we handle brick pointing on your house
I start by checking each joint for crumbling, gaps and hairline cracks, and we repoint the ones that need it instead of doing the whole wall by default, so you're not paying to replace sound mortar. Our crew clears the bad mortar out to an even depth so the new mortar sits at the same thickness all along the joint. Then we pack the joints, shape them to match the rest of the wall and clean the brick faces as we go. On an older home, we let the mortar already in the wall guide the new mix. Mortar that's harder than the old stuff puts stress on the brick and can make the faces break away, and that leaves you worse off than the problem you started with.
Sometimes worn joints are only the sign of something else. A crack that steps down through the mortar, or one that opens back up after it's filled, can mean the house is moving, and we'd look at foundation repair before sealing it over. Worn joints are also often the first thing we notice on a chimney that needs more than pointing, and that work falls under chimney repair.
Why Vallejo homeowners call J&R Vallejo Concrete and Masonry for brick pointing
I show you the joints first
I come out to every job myself and point out the crumbling, hollow and cracked joints on your wall before we touch anything. That way you understand your own brick and make the call yourself, instead of just taking my word for it.
On site with our crew
I learned brick and block with a big commercial outfit and started this business in Vallejo in 2023, and I'm on site with our masons while your joints go in. The person who walked the wall with you is the one checking each joint as it's filled.
Fully licensed and insured in California
We're fully licensed and insured. California's contractor licensing board sets out its own classification for masonry work, so it's fair to ask any crew you're comparing about their license.
We check Vallejo's rules for your address
Vallejo's Building and Planning Divisions review project plans against state and local requirements, and when a job needs a permit, we file it and line up the inspections. If you're not sure what the city asks for at your address, we check with its permit office before work starts.
Call (707) 310-8446 or send us a request with your address and a few photos of the crumbling or cracked joints, and I'll come out and walk the wall with you.
Get a free on-site look at your mortar joints
Send your address and a few photos of the worn joints, and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, walk the wall with you and explain which joints I'd repoint and why. The estimate is free and done at your property, with no obligation.
Repointed brick, up close
What homeowners ask about brick pointing
How do I know my brick needs repointing?
Your brick needs repointing when the mortar has worn back more than a quarter inch from the face, or when it's crumbling, has holes in it, or shows hairline cracks or cracks between the brick and the mortar. Any one of those is a good reason to have the wall looked at, because a worn joint lets water into the wall. Send us a few photos, and we'll tell you what we see.
How much does brick pointing cost in Vallejo?
We can't give a fair number for brick pointing until we've seen the wall, because the cost comes from how many joints need work, how deep they're worn, how high the wall goes and how much care the mortar match takes. Repointing only the joints that need it, rather than the whole wall, usually keeps the price down. One national home-service site notes that rush work in winter or a heat wave is likely to cost more, so planning for spring or fall can help.
How long will new mortar joints last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the brick itself may well last more than 100. How long yours last depends on how much weather the wall takes and on the mortar that goes in, which is why we match the mix to your wall.
Can any mason repoint brick, or do I need someone who specializes in it?
Repointing should be done by craftspeople with real repointing experience, because an excellent mason isn't always qualified for this particular work. Before you pick a crew, it's worth testing their skills, either by looking at their joints or by having them show you how they'd clear and fill one. Also ask how they take out the old mortar, since power tools can damage the brick around the joints.
Is my Vallejo home in a historic district?
Your home may be if it sits in Saint Vincent's Hill, the Architectural Heritage District or the Mare Island Historic Core, which are Vallejo's National Register historic districts. You can check your address on the city's interactive zoning map, and the Planning Division takes questions at (707) 648-4326 and points owners of landmarks and historic district properties to its Certificate of Appropriateness rules. On an older house in those areas, keeping the new mortar no stronger than the old matters most, for the reason I gave above.
Can I just spread new mortar over my old joints instead of repointing?
No, a thin coat of grout or mortar smeared over the old joints can't stand in for full repointing, and it isn't a recommended treatment on historic brick. The worn mortar is still sitting underneath, so we clear each joint to an even depth first and give the new mortar something sound to bond to.
Other work that often comes with repointing
- Foundation repair
When the house has settled or shifted, new mortar tends to crack again, so we'd steady what's underneath before the joints above it get redone.
- Chimney repair
A chimney with loose bricks, a cracked cap or a leaning stack needs more than new joints, and we'll look at the whole thing while we're up there.