Brick is one of the most popular building materials available today. It’s durable, sustainable, and versatile in its uses. However, it can crack or erode over time if not properly cared for. If you notice your brick is starting to look worn out or damaged then it may be time to consider some repairs. Brick is a soft material and can be easily damaged by the elements, which include:

• freezing and thawing

• water from rain or snow

• moisture from the air in your home that comes in contact with the brick exterior.

Mortar joints are constantly exposed to rain and freeze/thaw cycles causing them to disintegrate. Loose mortar is washed away, and the mortar continues to wear. Eventually, the masonry units being held into place becomes loose and fall out.

Re-pointing or “tuck-pointing” is a common maintenance repair for masonry walls. It involves filling in eroded/weathered mortar joints between masonry units with new mortar material. Prior to tuckpointing, the existing mortar joints should be properly ground (routed) to provide a clean substrate for the new mortar to adhere to.

Tuck-pointing is often necessary to restore the integrity of the mortar due to normal weathering and aging of a masonry building; however, the need for tuck-pointing often indicates more significant problems, such as a movement or shift in the vertical or horizontal plane of the wall. Even well-built masonry walls require occasional repairs. Mortar joints that are exposed to the weather typically need to be tuck-pointed every 30 years or so.

Our recommendation for a long-lasting tuck-pointing job is to grind and chisel out all the joints. If your grout lines generally are worn and cracking, you need to tuck point the entire area or the problem will worsen rapidly.

Replacing Steel Lintels

Lintels support the masonry over openings in a wall, such as at doors or windows. Lintels are generally constructed of steel angles, channels, wide flange beams, or reinforced masonry bond beams.

Steel lintels are susceptible to corrosion through repeated cyclical exposure to moisture. The corroded steel can expand by up to 10 times its thickness. This corrosion and expansion of the steel exerts tremendous force on the adjacent masonry, which causes movement and eventual cracking in the wall.

Severely corroded lintels may require complete removal and replacement with new galvanized steel members.