Brick pointing in Jupiter FL - new mortar joints that match your old brick
Crumbling, sandy mortar between your bricks lets water in. We find why it failed and repoint the joints so the wall sheds rain again.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free quotes on site.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What's involved in brick pointing, and what else might your wall need?
Brick pointing, also called repointing, means raking the worn mortar out of the joints in your brick and packing fresh mortar back in, so water stops getting into the wall. On Jupiter homes it often comes with fixing whatever let the water in first, like a leaking chimney or a foundation that's moving.
Maybe the mortar on your house has started to look worn back, or someone told you the brick needs work and you're not sure how much. Before I quote anything, I want to know why those joints wore out. The price mostly comes down to how much of the wall needs it, how deep the joints have gone, how high we have to work and how closely the mix has to match your old brick. The schedule turns on whether a cause repair has to come first and on giving a test patch time to set and show its true color, and the written estimate after my visit lays out what's included for your wall.
How can you tell your brick joints need pointing?
Mortar that crumbles to sand
If you rub a joint and it turns to grit, or you find sand along the base of the wall, the mortar has broken down and isn't holding much anymore. Left alone, water starts soaking into the wall behind it, and that's a bigger fix than the joint.
Joints sunk behind the brick
When the mortar sits back from the brick face and you can see the brick edges, the joints have been washing out for a while. Rain now sits on those little ledges and runs inward, so the wear speeds up the longer you wait.
Cracks along the brick edges
A thin crack between a brick and its mortar, or one that steps up through several joints, usually means the bond has let go or the wall has moved. Water finds those cracks first, and stepped ones are worth a look at the foundation before anyone repoints.
Damp spots or stains inside
A damp patch, peeling paint or white powdery stains on the inside of a brick wall usually mean water is getting through the joints. Waiting lets that moisture reach drywall, trim or framing, which costs more than the mortar ever would.
Work that often comes before pointing
Foundation repair
If cracks step up through your brick or doors start sticking, the house may be settling, and that movement has to stop before new mortar can hold.
Chimney repair
A cracked crown, worn flashing or loose brick up top lets rain run down inside the chimney, which is often why the joints below keep washing out.
How we do brick pointing on your wall
First we make sure whatever wore the joints out is dealt with, then we're glad to point a small, hidden patch so you can see how the new mortar's color and strength sit with your old brick before we do the whole wall. Once you like it, our crew cuts the old mortar back to sound material without chipping the brick edges, blows out the dust, dampens the joints and packs the new mortar in layers so it fills all the way back. We tool each joint to the same shape as the old ones and clean the brick faces as we go, so the repair reads as part of the wall.
Pointing is often the last, visible step of a bigger fix. If the wall is cracking because the house is settling, foundation repair comes first so the new joints don't split along the same lines. When the leak starts at the top, our chimney repair work seals it off so water quits feeding the joints we just filled.
Spot pointing
This suits a wall where the wear is in a few places, like under a downspout or close to the ground. We repoint just those areas and blend them into the joints around them.
Full wall repointing
This suits a wall where most joints are soft or recessed, because patching here and there leaves an uneven look and more work later. We do the whole face so it wears evenly from here on.
Matched mix for older brick
This suits older or softer brick, where the color and strength of the mortar matter most. We pick the mix to suit how the old brick behaves, not just what's on the shelf.
Get a free on-site brick pointing quote
Send this and expect a reply within 1 business day to set a time for me to see your wall. Quotes are free on site with no pressure to book, or call (561) 532-0289.
Call (561) 532-0289Why Jupiter homeowners call Excel Jupiter Concrete and Masonry for brick pointing
I come out myself
I walk the wall with you, ask a lot of questions and explain what's causing the damage in plain words so you can make the call. Then our own crew does the pointing with me on the job, so the person who looked at it is there while it's done.
Trained where inspectors checked everything
I learned masonry on a municipal crew rebuilding block walls, curbs and walkways that had to pass an inspector before anyone signed off, and I started this business in Jupiter in 2021 to bring that same care to homes. We work across Palm Beach County and the cities around it, up into Martin and St. Lucie counties.
Fully licensed and insured crew
Palm Beach County requires its contractors to be certified and insured, and it enforces state and county rules on the people working on your home. We're fully licensed and insured, and that's worth asking any crew before they touch your wall.
We ask about historic status
If your house is a locally designated historic structure, changes like material changes to existing walls fall under the Town of Jupiter's Certificate of Appropriateness guidelines, with a Special certificate approved by the Historic Resources Board. I ask about that on the first visit so it's sorted out before we plan the mortar work.
On a brick wall, the joint that lasts is the one with the cause fixed and the right mortar in it, so tell us about your wall and I'll come take a look.
What happens after you call about brick pointing in Jupiter?
Call or send the form
Call (561) 532-0289 or send the form and tell us what you're seeing on the wall. We get back to you and set a time for me to come out.
Walk the wall together
I look at the joints with you, ask plenty of questions and find what's causing the damage. You get a written estimate that spells out what's included, so you know what the job covers before you decide.
Fix the cause, then repoint
Once you say go, our crew does the work with me on site during Jupiter's building repair hours, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Work outside those hours takes the Town Manager's permission, so plan on the loud grinding happening within them.
Walk the finished wall
Before we pack up, I walk the finished wall with you and show you what we did and why. We clean up the mortar dust and leftover material so your yard is the way we found it.
Common questions
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, or when it's crumbling, has holes, shows hairline cracks or has pulled away from the brick, according to the brick industry's repointing guide. You can check for every one of those yourself with a flashlight and a fingernail, and telling me what you found is a good start to the first visit.
What mortar should be used to repoint old brick?
Repointing mortar should be similar to or weaker than the original mortar in strength. The brick industry's guide warns that a stronger mix can lead to spalling, where the face of the brick breaks away, and it calls that damage irreparable. It's a fair question to ask anyone quoting your wall.
How long do repointed mortar joints last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on exposure and materials, while the bricks themselves may well go past 100 years. So the bricks usually outlast their joints, and repointing is normal upkeep over a brick wall's long life, not a sign the wall is failing. Our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
What causes mortar joints to crumble, and should that be fixed first?
Water and movement are the usual causes, like a leaking chimney, a gutter spilling down the wall or a house that's settling, and National Park Service repointing guidance says the cause should be found and corrected before the masonry is repointed. That's why repairing the cause can come before any mortar work starts, and why I spend the first visit looking past the joints themselves.
How much does brick pointing cost in Jupiter, FL?
Your price comes from a written estimate after I've seen the wall, because brick pointing is priced on that wall's joints, not a standard number. A few soft spots near the ground cost far less than a tall face that needs scaffolding, and a close color match or a cause repair that has to come first adds to it. The estimate lists what's included, so you can compare it line by line.
How do I choose a contractor for brick repointing in Jupiter?
Ask to see repointing work they've done before, or ask them to show their work on a spot of your wall nobody sees, because the brick industry's guide notes that an excellent mason isn't always skilled at repointing. We're glad to do that hidden test patch first, as we described above.
Get your brick joints looked at
Call (561) 532-0289 or send the form for your free on-site quote, and have a few photos of the crumbling or cracked joints handy, plus whether your home is locally designated historic, so I can plan the first visit.