Brick pointing in Hesperia, CA - new mortar joints that spare the brick
Mortar crumbling or washing out between your bricks? We cut out the worn joints and refill them so the wall stays tight.
Do the joints in my brick wall need repointing?
Brick pointing in Hesperia means raking out the worn mortar between your bricks and packing in new mortar, so the bricks stay where they are and only the joints get renewed. It closes up a wall or chimney that's started letting sand, wind and water into the gaps.
Usually it starts with mortar sanding out onto the ground, or a stretch of joints that looks sunk back from the brick on a garden wall, a planter or a chimney. Repointing takes a lot of labor joint by joint, so the price mostly comes down to how many joints are actually bad and how hard they are to reach, and a chimney that needs ladders or scaffolding takes longer than a wall we can work from the ground. If the bricks themselves are cracked or loose, that's brick repair, and your estimate spells out which one your wall needs. Any permit question gets settled before we start, and I cover how that works in Hesperia below.
How we handle brick pointing on your wall
I start by going over the wall joint by joint and marking the ones that are soft, hollow or cracked. We cut out only those and leave the sound joints alone, because good old mortar beats any new mortar we could put back. We clear the dust out of each open joint so the new mortar bonds, then pack it in and tool it to match the joints around it. The mix we use stays softer than your brick, so the joints take the wear instead of the brick. Before we call it done, we brush the faces clean and haul off the debris.
When a crack runs through the brick itself or the wall is out of plumb, the joints aren't the real problem, and I'll point you to foundation repair before any repointing. Chimneys get the same joint-by-joint look, and if bricks near the top have worked loose, that work falls under chimney repair.
Repointing brick walls and chimneys in Hesperia
Hesperia requires a building permit before construction or remodeling work begins, and only you, your licensed contractor or an agent you authorize can get one. The city's rule doesn't say outright whether repointing a wall or chimney falls under it, so before we schedule anything we check with the city's permit center, or the county building office if your address falls under the county, and when a permit is needed we apply for it as your licensed contractor.
The city's building code rates weathering here as negligible and gives Hesperia a freezing index, the measure of how hard winters freeze, of 0. So it isn't frost that breaks down joints here. On the walls I look at, it's mostly sun, blowing sand and age, which is why the side facing the weather tends to go first while the sheltered side often stays sound. We're based in Hesperia and work across the High Desert cities around it, and we run into the same worn brick and block walls on jobs in Apple Valley and Victorville.
How brick pointing gets done
Call or send a request
You call or send a request, and we set a time for me to come out. Let me know if the work is on a chimney, since that changes what I need to look at it up close.
I look, measure and photograph
I measure the wall, take photos of the bad joints and tell you plainly what I'd repoint and what I'd leave alone. You get a written estimate with the scope spelled out, so you can see which joints are in the price and why.
We sort permits, then repoint
We settle any permit with the right office first, then our crew cuts out and refills the worn joints with me on the job. The work is noisy and scaffolding may stay on that side of the house for a while, so plan on limited use of that side until we're done.
Walk the finished wall together
Once the joints are filled and the brick is cleaned up, we walk the finished job with you. You see every joint we did before we pack up.
Get a brick pointing and wall repair estimate in Hesperia
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, done in person and comes with no obligation. I look at the joints, measure and take photos, and then you get a written estimate.
What homeowners 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 1/4 inch from the face, crumbles when you scratch it, has holes in it, or shows hairline cracks or gaps between the brick and the mortar. You can check most of that from the yard with a key or a coin. If you're not sure what you're seeing, a few close-up photos are enough for me to tell you.
What kind of mortar is best for repointing old brick?
The new mortar should be softer than both your bricks and the original mortar. Hard mortar can stress the wall as it expands and contracts with the heat and end up damaging the brick, while a softer joint takes that wear and is easier to replace later. A strong mix that looks tough is usually the wrong pick on older brick.
How long does repointed mortar last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on how exposed the wall is and what mortar went in, while the bricks can last well over 100 years. That makes the joints the part of a brick wall you plan to renew now and then, and it doesn't mean anything is wrong with the brick.
How much does brick pointing cost in Hesperia?
The cost depends mostly on how many joints are worn and how hard they are to reach, so I give you a written price after I've seen the wall. A low garden wall with a few bad patches is a small job, while a tall chimney that needs scaffolding takes more setup and time. Soft brick that has to be cleared out carefully by hand also adds labor.
What is the best way to remove old mortar from brick?
Guidance written for historic masonry favors hand chisels and mash hammers, which take more labor but usually carry the least risk to the brick and give the best result. Power saws and grinders are more common, and in unskilled hands they can be disastrous for soft brick. If your brick is old or soft, ask whoever bids the job how they plan to cut the joints out.
Does a contractor need a license to repoint brick in California?
Yes, unless the whole job is $1,000 or less and needs no permit, under the rules of the state licensing board. Even on those small jobs, an unlicensed person can't hire anyone to help, so a crew working on your wall should be working under a license.
Why Hesperia homeowners call D&L Hesperia Concrete and Masonry for brick pointing
The owner writes your estimate
I come out to look at the job and write the estimate myself, and I'm on the job with our crew while the work gets done. The person who told you which joints need cutting out is the one making sure only those get cut.
Full-time masonry since 2017
I learned this work one wall at a time and got licensed to do it full time in 2017, and brick repointed the right way is a big part of what we're known for. That's 9 years of learning that doing the joints right can cost a bit more up front, and I'd rather tell you that than come back to patch them.
Licensed and insured for your job
We're licensed and insured. Ask about it at the estimate, because you should know who's covered on your house before the work starts.
Honest about older brick chimneys
San Bernardino County encourages repointing as regular upkeep for older brick chimneys, but says it does little to reduce future earthquake damage, since unreinforced chimneys with worn mortar are the most at risk. I'll tell you that plainly, so you know new joints keep the chimney tight without making it quake-proof.
On this job, what counts is what goes back in the joints, and that's the part I check myself. Set up a time for me to come out and look at your wall or chimney.
Related masonry work
Foundation repair
Stair-step cracks or a wall pulling away from the house usually mean the ground below has moved, and new joints will just crack again until that's fixed.
Chimney repair
A cracked crown, a missing cap or a chimney that leans lets water and movement undo fresh joints, so we fix the structure along with the mortar.
Book brick pointing for your wall or chimney
Call (760) 983-7937 or send a request with a few photos of the worn joints and a note on whether it's a wall or a chimney, so I know what I'm walking up to before the estimate.
