Brick repair in Hawthorne CA - mortar joints that keep water out of your walls
Crumbling mortar, gaps or cracks between your bricks? We repoint the joints with the right mix so the wall keeps water out again.
Custom Hawthorne Concrete and Masonry is a masonry contractor based in Hawthorne, and careful brick repair is one of the things we're best known for. Most calls start with crumbling joints, a leaky chimney or a brick wall that's seen better days. We work in Hawthorne and the cities around it, and we'd rather spend the time on prep than rush the mortar.
- I look at every job myself
- Your yard covered before we start
- We clean as we go
Brick repair is mostly about the mortar
Most brick repair we do in Hawthorne is really mortar repair. Repointing, which you may hear called tuckpointing, means we cut out the worn mortar between the bricks and pack in fresh mortar, while the bricks stay where they are. Not every crack is an emergency, so I'll tell you which ones can wait and which can't, and we start with the ones letting water in.
The price mostly follows the size of the wall, how deep the joints are worn and how high we have to work. The schedule turns on how much of the wall needs new mortar and on any permit your job needs, since we start once that's in hand. You get the price in writing.
- Cutting out joints. We rake out the worn mortar to an even depth so the new mortar has clean, solid joints to grip.
- Matching the look. We match the color, sand and joint shape of your old mortar so the repair doesn't stand out like a patch.
- Packing in layers. Deep joints get filled in layers and tooled once firm, which keeps the mortar dense and sheds rain off the face.
- Cleaning the brick. We wipe mortar smears off the brick faces before they set, because dried mortar on brick is a pain to get off.
Brick repair work we take on
Brick repair covers more than one kind of job, from a few cracked joints to a whole wall, and from house walls to chimneys and garden planters.
Full wall repointing
When most of the joints are worn, we repoint the whole wall so the mortar ages evenly instead of patching it one section at a time.
Spot repairs
If only a few joints are cracked or hollow, we fix just those and blend them into the mortar around them.
Chimney joints
A brick chimney takes weather from every side, so we repoint the worn joints up top. Bring your chimney questions to the estimate, or see our chimney repair page.
Garden walls and planters
Freestanding brick walls and planters take water from both sides and the top, so we repoint the joints and check the cap that sheds rain.
If your job is something else, like a leaning retaining wall or new driveway pavers, ask us about it when you call.
Why brick repair is worth doing right
Good repointing keeps water out of the wall, so the brick stays sound and you aren't fixing the same spot again. A job that looks great for a year and then fails is a bad meal with nice plating.
- Softer mortarNew mortar should be no stronger than the old, since a harder mix can make the brick faces flake off.
- Drainage fixedA leaking downspout can wash mortar right out of the joints, so we fix the downspout too or the repair won't last.
- Full depthJoints raked out deep enough take mortar that stays put, while a thin skim over old mortar pops loose.
- Slow curingWe keep fresh mortar damp and out of hard sun while it cures, so it doesn't dry too fast and crack.
How a brick repair job runs
I come out to look
You call, and I come out to see the wall and what's around it, like the gutters, the downspouts and how your yard drains.
A written estimate
I put the price in writing, along with which joints need work now and which can wait, so you can decide what to do first.
Repair and walk-through
Our crew preps the joints and works the wall section by section. When it's done, I walk the wall with you and point out what we repaired.
Why people call us for brick repair
I learned this trade on other people's crews after years in restaurant kitchens, and the habits carried over. You prep, you keep the station clean, and you don't send out anything you wouldn't eat.
Our own crew
Our own crew does the work, with me or our lead mason running it, so you know who's on your property every day.
The slow part done right
I'd rather do the slow part right than save a day and hand you a problem. Prep is where a repoint lasts or doesn't.
Satisfaction guarantee
Our brick repair work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. Ask me about it at the estimate, and I'll go over it face to face.
Brick repair in Hawthorne and nearby cities
California lets someone work without a contractor's license only on jobs under $1,000 that need no permit, and only if they have no one working for them. Anything else calls for a licensed contractor, and the state also wants changes to a home improvement contract in writing, with your right to cancel spelled out. We're licensed and insured.
Around Hawthorne we see a lot of brick planters, garden walls and chimneys, and the worst joints usually sit where a sprinkler hits the wall every morning, so we get the heads turned before new mortar goes on. We do the same work in Lawndale and Gardena.
Tell us about your brick wall
Send photos of the worn joints with the wall's height and size, or call (424) 307-8119. We reply within one business day, and I come out for a free estimate, no obligation.
Call (424) 307-8119Brick repair questions from Hawthorne homeowners
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Your brick needs repointing if you see any of these: mortar worn back more than 1/4 inch, crumbling mortar, gaps or holes in the joints, hairline cracks, or cracks between the brick and the mortar. A short walk around the house is usually enough to check. If you spot a few, send us photos.
Do small cracks in brick mortar need fixing right away?
Usually not, because brick veneer and cavity walls, the kind with an outer layer of brick, can handle the extra moisture a minor crack lets in. Solid brick walls are different, since cracks there let more water into the wall. At the estimate I'll tell you which kind you have.
How much does brick repointing cost in Hawthorne, CA?
Repointing brick across the US usually costs about $3 to $25 per square foot, and that's the national range, not our price. Walls over 8 feet that need scaffolding cost more per square foot than lower ones. Your own figure comes from a written estimate after I see the wall.
How long does new mortar last on a brick house?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, and the bricks can last well over 100, depending on how exposed the wall is and the mortar used. So over a house's life, the joints are the part you plan to renew, not the brick.