Brick pointing in Fort Lauderdale FL - mortar joints that keep water out
Mortar crumbling, cracked or sunk back between your bricks? We repoint the worn joints so your wall sheds water again and looks finished.
Send photos of your worn mortar joints
Email photos to hi@fortlauderdaleconcreteandmasonry.com or add them to the form, with a note if your home is a designated historic property, so I can plan the visit before I come out.
When does brick need repointing in Fort Lauderdale?
Brick pointing in Fort Lauderdale means cutting the worn or cracked mortar out of your brick joints and packing in fresh mortar, and it's one of the most effective and lasting ways to stop water getting into brickwork.
Most calls start with mortar that's crumbling, cracked or sunk back in a few spots on a wall or chimney, and usually only those joints need work. The price moves with how many joints are worn, how high and hard to reach they are, and whether older brick needs slower hand work, while the schedule turns mostly on the size of the job and any permit or historic review it needs. Your estimate lists each step and material, so you can see where the cost goes before you decide.
Why Fort Lauderdale homeowners call J&R Fort Lauderdale Concrete & Masonry for brick pointing
I'm at every estimate myself
I come out to every estimate and stay on site with our crew while the joints are cut and filled. The person who looked at your wall is the one checking the work.
Licensed and fully insured, easy to verify
We're licensed and fully insured for the work we do on your house. You can verify any Florida licensee yourself through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation before you hire anyone.
Fort Lauderdale masonry since 2023
I learned masonry under an experienced mason and started this business in Fort Lauderdale in 2023, after years at an office desk. That desk taught me to measure, check and write down every step.
On brick, the right repair is usually the smallest one that stops the water. Set up an estimate and I'll show you which joints need it. Your satisfaction, guaranteed.
How we handle brick pointing
I start by going over the wall joint by joint and marking only the worn or cracked ones, because sound original joints hold up better than repointed ones and cutting out good mortar is just extra labor you'd pay for. We cut those joints out, and on older brick I'd rather go slower with hand chisels than risk a grinder chipping the edges, since guidance written for historic masonry warns that power saws and grinders in unskilled hands can ruin soft brick. That same guidance says to cut deep enough that the new mortar bonds well and doesn't pop out later. Then we mix mortar matched to what's already in your wall, not the strongest bag on the shelf, pack the joints, tool them to match the old ones and clean the brick face.
Worn joints are sometimes the sign of something bigger. Cracks that step across a wall or keep reopening can point to movement underneath, and I'll tell you if it's a job for foundation repair before we repoint anything. A chimney with crumbling joints and a leak inside usually needs a closer look than the mortar alone, so we handle that as chimney repair.
Repointing the worn sections
This suits most brick homes where the damage sits in patches, along one wall or around a chimney. We fix those joints and leave the rest, which keeps the job smaller.
Hand-tool repointing for older brick
This suits older homes with softer brick, where a grinder can chip the edges in a second. It takes longer, but the brick faces come through intact.
How can you tell your brick joints are wearing out?
Mortar sunk behind the brick
The mortar sits back from the brick face and leaves a little ledge. That usually means the joint has worn away, and the longer it waits, the more water it lets into the wall.
Mortar that crumbles to touch
Rub a joint and it turns to sand in your fingers. The mortar has lost its bond, and soft joints only get softer as rain keeps working into them.
Thin cracks along the brick
You see hairline cracks in the joints or a crack running where mortar meets brick. Water finds those lines first, and left open they can grow into loose brick.
Holes and gaps in joints
You can poke into an empty pocket where mortar should be. Gaps like that let water sit inside the wall, which wears out the joints around them faster.
What happens after you call about brick pointing?
Call or send a request
Call (754) 228-0031 or use the form, and we'll set up a visit. I come out myself, find what's wearing the joints and write an estimate listing each step and material.
We cut and repoint joints
We take care of any permit the job needs and wait for any historic approval, then cut out the marked joints and refill them. Expect some dust near the wall while we're cutting.
Walk the finished wall together
When the last joint is tooled, we clean the brick and walk the wall with you. You see every repaired joint before we pack up.
Common repointing questions
These are the questions I hear most about repointing in Fort Lauderdale. If your wall doesn't fit any of them, send a photo and ask about your own job.
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, crumbles, has holes, or shows hairline cracks or cracks along the brick. Only the joints with those problems need repair, so a few bad spots don't mean redoing the whole wall.
What kind of mortar should be used to repoint brick?
The new mortar should be about as strong as the original or weaker, never stronger. A harder mix makes the thin new joint carry the load and can damage the brick face for good, so ask any mason how their mix compares with what's in your wall now. You can also ask for a small sample in a discreet spot to check that it matches the existing joints.
How much does brick pointing cost in Fort Lauderdale?
The cost of brick pointing in Fort Lauderdale comes down to how many joints need cutting out, how high and hard to reach they are, and whether older brick calls for slower hand work. Repointing only the damaged joints keeps the bill down, and your written estimate lists each step and material so you can see what you're paying for.
Who issues building permits in Fort Lauderdale?
The city's Building Services division handles all permitting in Fort Lauderdale, issues permits, does the building inspections and takes new applications online. If you're unsure whether your repointing job needs a permit, that's the office to ask. When a job does need one, we handle the application and schedule the inspections.
Does a historic home in Fort Lauderdale need approval before repointing?
Yes, if your house is a designated historic property and the work would change how the outside looks, the city requires a Certificate of Appropriateness first. The Historic Preservation Board reviews those at its monthly meetings, so tell us up front if your home is designated and we'll plan the start around that review.
How long does repointed brick last?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the brick itself can last more than 100. That gap means a brick wall usually needs some joint repair now and then over its life, which is why fixing the worn joints makes more sense than rebuilding.
Get a written repointing estimate
Tell us where the joints look worn, add photos if you can, and we'll reply within one business day to set a visit. I come out myself, and the estimate at your property is free with no obligation.
Repointed brick up close
Other masonry work we handle
Foundation repair
If cracks step diagonally through your brick or reopen after repair, the ground under the house may be moving, and that's worth fixing before new mortar goes in.
Learn moreChimney repair
A leaking chimney often has more going on than worn joints, such as a cracked crown or loose flashing, and we fix the whole problem together.
Learn more