Repointing is the process of renewing the pointing, which is the external part of mortar joints, in brick construction. When you see a brick wall that looks like it's been through war, what it has really experienced is the slow and steady onslaught of seasonal changes. Especially in climates like ours here in New Jersey where we can experience extreme heat and extreme cold in the same year, the expansion and contraction of the bricks and mortar over time causes the mortar joints to decay.

Once that decay begins, the process accelerates as water finds its way into the joints, and it’s always downhill from there. Sadly, this is one of those maintenance chores that people very rarely like to keep up with but pay dearly for in the long run. We hear it often that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When not addressed quickly, the damage can and will spread exponentially throughout your brick structure with time. We recommend addressing these issues as they arise to prevent costly rehabilitations in the future.

It is important to note that all mortars are not created equal. Bricks in older homes – especially all those that are pre-1900’s, were created with softer bricks. When the most common present-day mortar (Portland cement) is applied to these older homes, the hard cement combined with the soft brick actually damages or destroys the bricks. If you have an older home, it is vital that you understand which kind of bricks were used in your brick structures to determine if you require lime-based mortar instead of Portland cement.