Brick pointing in Cedar Rapids, IA - sound joints that keep water out of your wall
Crumbling or cracked mortar between your bricks lets water into the wall. We replace it with a mix that suits your brick.
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Do the mortar joints in your brick need pointing?
Brick pointing, often called repointing, means our crew takes worn mortar out of the joints to an even depth and packs fresh mortar in its place. It's one of the most effective ways to cut down on water getting into a brick wall, and we do it on houses, chimneys and garden walls in Cedar Rapids, IA and the cities around it.
Most people call after they notice sandy mortar collecting at the base of a wall, joints that have sunk back from the face of the brick, or thin cracks running along the bricks, which usually means the mortar has worn out while the brick is still sound. The price mostly follows how much of the wall needs new joints, how high we have to work, and whether soft brick means taking the old mortar out by hand, which is slower. The schedule turns on the size of the wall and the weather, since fresh mortar needs fair conditions to cure, and when I come out I'll write up what I'd do on your wall and why.
How we handle brick pointing on your house
Before we fill a single joint, I look closely at the old mortar, because new mortar that's stronger than the original can do lasting damage to the face of your brick, so we choose a mix that's no harder than what's already in the wall. When the old mortar is hard to read, a sample can be sent to a lab so the new mix copies it as closely as possible. Then we take the worn mortar out to an even depth, and on soft or older brick we do that by hand where a grinder could chip the edges. We pack the new mortar in, shape the joints to match the rest of the wall, and clean the brick and the yard before we go.
Worn joints are sometimes only part of the story. If cracks step down through the brick low on the house, I'll look at whether you need foundation repair first, since fresh mortar won't hold on a wall that's still moving. And if the chimney needs more than new joints, we can take care of it as chimney repair alongside the pointing.
What we check before brick pointing in Cedar Rapids
The state agency that registers contractors tells us to contact the city or county for each project to learn what's required there, so before we start on your house we get in touch with the Cedar Rapids office, or your county's office if you live outside the city, and we tell you what we found and who will handle it.
Many of our calls here come from older brick homes, where the mortar has worn away long before the brick and the brick itself is often softer than what's made today. We're based in Cedar Rapids and work in many of the cities around it, and we treat those houses the same way on jobs in Marion and Hiawatha, matching the mortar to the wall rather than to whatever mix is handy.
- Call (319) 536-8125
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
- Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
What happens when you call R&S Cedar Rapids Concrete & Masonry in Cedar Rapids?
Call or send us a message
Thank you for reaching out to us. We get back to you and set up a time for me to come out to your house.
I look over your wall
I walk around the house with you, ask what you've noticed, and look closely at the mortar and the brick. Then I write up what I'd do and why, so you can see what the price covers before you decide anything.
We check with your city
Before work starts, we make the call to your city or county office described above. Once that's settled, we agree with you on when the crew will start.
We repoint and tidy up
The crew and I cover the work at the end of each day and leave the site tidy. On a historic house, careful repointing is slow and noisy work, and scaffolding may stay across the front for a while.
Why Cedar Rapids homeowners call R&S Cedar Rapids Concrete & Masonry for brick pointing
The owner comes out and estimates
I come out to look at every job in Cedar Rapids and nearby, write the estimate myself, and then work alongside the same small crew that does the pointing. You talk to the person who'll be on your wall, so nothing gets lost between the visit and the work.
In business since 2023
I spent years framing houses as a carpenter, then learned masonry beside an experienced mason until I could run jobs on my own, and I started this business in 2023. That background is why I pay close attention to the hidden parts, like flashing and drainage, that decide whether work holds up after we've gone.
Licensed and insured for your job
We're licensed and insured. That matters on pointing work, which often means ladders or scaffolding set against your house.
Straight answers on what can wait
If a few cracks can wait, I'll tell you so, and I'll show you the joints that can't. You get a plan you can budget around instead of a whole-wall job you may not need yet.
If your joints are crumbling or cracking, call (319) 536-8125 or send us a message, and I'll come out and take a look.
Request an estimateAsk for a free on-site brick pointing estimate
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, done at your house and comes with no obligation, and I'll look over your joints, ask what you've noticed and write up what I'd do and why.
- Licensed and insured.
- Phone
- (319) 536-8125
- Location
- Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–10 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
Questions about brick pointing in Cedar Rapids
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Your brick likely needs repointing if the mortar has worn back more than a quarter inch, crumbles when you rub it, sounds hollow, or shows hairline cracks or gaps between the brick and the mortar. You can walk around the house and check the joints yourself before you ask anyone for a quote, and photos of what you find help me at the estimate.
How long does mortar last on a brick house?
Mortar usually lasts roughly 25 to 50 years, while the brick around it can last 100 years or more. That gap is why a sound brick house needs fresh joints along the way, so pointing is ordinary upkeep rather than a sign something has gone badly wrong.
How much does brick pointing cost in Cedar Rapids?
I price brick pointing after seeing your wall, because the joints that need work and how the old mortar has to come out change from house to house. When you compare quotes, ask whether each one covers full repointing, since surface grouting, a thin coat spread over the joints, can't take its place and isn't recommended on historic brick.
Who should I hire to repoint my brick house in Cedar Rapids?
Hire a crew with real repointing experience, because even an excellent mason may not be skilled at this particular work. Ask each contractor how their planned mortar compares with what's in your wall, and you can have a crew's repointing skills tested before you choose. In Iowa, anyone earning at least $2,000 a year from construction work has to register with the state, though homeowners working only on their own property don't.
What is the best time of year to repoint brick?
One national cost guide recommends spring or fall, which it calls ideal curing weather for mortar. The same guide says emergency work in winter or extreme heat will likely cost more, so if your joints are only starting to wear, it pays to plan ahead.
What causes white powder on brick after repointing?
That white powder is efflorescence, salts drawn to the surface as the wall dries, and it occasionally shows up in the first few months before usually weathering away on its own. If it stays, a dry brushing followed by a wet brushing is the safest way to clear it, and muriatic acid generally doesn't work.
Other work that often goes with pointing
Foundation repair
When cracks step down through the brick near the ground, the trouble may sit below the wall, and the foundation needs attention before new joints go in.
Chimney repair
A chimney with loose bricks, a cracked crown or leaking flashing usually needs more than new mortar to stop water getting into the house.
Send us photos of your worn joints
Call (319) 536-8125 or use our form, and a few photos of the worst joints plus the age of your house help me know what to look for before I arrive.
Request an estimateCall (319) 536-8125