Masonry restoration in Wichita Falls TX - new mortar that blends with the old
Crumbling or cracked mortar letting your brick wear out? We repoint the joints with mortar soft enough for older brick and matched to what's there.
What does masonry restoration involve on a Wichita Falls brick house?
Masonry restoration in Wichita Falls is mostly repointing. We rake the worn mortar out of the joints and pack in new mortar so your brick walls stay solid and shed water. Mortar is made to wear out before the brick does, so fixing it on time protects the brick itself.
Most folks call me because they've noticed sandy joints, a loose brick or a crack running up the wall, and they want to know how bad it is. Often it's smaller than they feared. The price moves with how much wall needs work, how high it goes, how deep the joints are worn and whether a drainage problem has to be fixed first. The schedule mostly turns on the weather for any washing and on city paperwork if the job needs it, and your written estimate gives you the figure for your wall. Restoration covers the brick and stone you already have, so something new like a fireplace installation or stone veneer installation is a different job.
How do you know your brick and mortar need work?
Worn mortar usually shows before it causes real trouble. These are the things homeowners tend to notice first, walking past the wall or mowing along the foundation, and what each one usually means.
Mortar that turns to sand when you rub it usually means the joints have worn past doing their job.
Joints sitting back deeper than the face of the brick mean water has been washing the mortar out.
Thin hairline cracks along the mortar lines can let water in even when the wall looks sound.
Small gaps or holes in the joints, often low on the wall, point to mortar that's breaking down.
A cracked brick next to cracked joints usually means the wall needs more than a quick touch-up.
A dark streak or worn patch under a downspout often means runoff is eating away at the joints.
If you're seeing two or more of these, call (940) 298-1133 before the next round of rain works its way into the open joints.
What happens when you call us about restoring your brick?
I come out to look at every job myself, and I'll be working next to our crew once it starts. Here's how it usually goes from your first call to the final walk-through.
Call or send us a message
Call (940) 298-1133 or use the form, and I'll set up a time to come out. Photos of the worst joints and a rough idea of how tall the wall is help me plan the visit.
Look at the wall together
We walk the wall together and I explain what I see, from soft joints to cracked brick to where the water is coming from. You get a written estimate and a plain answer on what the job really needs, which is sometimes less than you feared.
Paperwork first, then the repointing
Once you say go, we take care of any city paperwork the job calls for. Then we rake out the worn joints and pack in new mortar, with me on the wall alongside our crew.
Walk the finished wall together
Before we call it finished, we walk the wall with you and look over every joint we touched. The goal is that nobody can tell where we worked.
Get a written estimate for your worn brick and mortar
We reply within one business day to set up a visit. The estimate is free and done on site at your home, and there's no obligation, so take your time deciding.
- Call
- (940) 298-1133
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
Mortar, color matching and older brick in Wichita Falls
The mortar mix matters more than most people expect. Hard portland-cement mortar is tougher than a lot of older brick and lets less moisture through, so water gets trapped in the brick and can badly damage the wall. We go easy on older brick and mix mortar soft enough for it. On soft brick, I'd ask any crew what mix they plan to use before they start.
New mortar only looks right if the color matches, and the sand color and cement type both change how it turns out. Before we repoint a whole wall, I'll test a small hidden spot so you can see it next to your old joints. You may hear this work called tuckpointing or pointing, though that name doesn't quite fit it.
We work across Wichita Falls and the cities around it, like Burkburnett and Iowa Park. Wichita Falls has historic districts, among them Depot Square, Morningside and West Floral Heights, where the city's planning division works with the Landmark Commission on design review. If your house is a landmark or in one of those districts, check with the planning division before work starts. Soft mortar and gentle cleaning come from preservation practice, so they suit those houses.
Masonry restoration questions from Wichita Falls homeowners
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Your brick needs repointing if the mortar has worn back more than ¼ inch, is crumbling, or has hairline cracks or holes, and also if bricks are cracked along with the joints. A look from someone who knows masonry settles it, which is why we start every job with a visit.
How much does repointing brick cost in Wichita Falls?
Repointing brick across the US usually costs about $500 to $2,500 per 100 square feet, and that's a national figure, not our price. Walls taller than 8 feet that need scaffolding cost more per square foot than lower walls. We're fully licensed and insured, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Is power washing safe for old brick?
Usually not, because water at high pressure is very abrasive and can easily etch soft stone and some types of brick. When a wall needs cleaning we use gentle pressure, and only in mild weather, since water left in the masonry can freeze and flake or crack it. A wall can take over a week to dry, so washing should stop several days before the first average frost date.
Do I need a permit for masonry restoration in Wichita Falls?
The City of Wichita Falls requires the correct permits and licenses for construction work in the city, so we check what your job needs before we start. The city posts a residential permit application and checklist on its site. When a job calls for a permit, we take care of the application and line up the inspections with the city office, and I'll go over it with you at the estimate.
How long does mortar last compared to brick?
Mortar lasts roughly 25 to 50 years, while brick lasts about 100 years or more. That gap is why an older brick house needs its joints redone well before the bricks wear out, and it's normal rather than a sign something went wrong.
What causes mortar to wash out of brick joints?
Water is the usual cause, and a leaking downspout can wash mortar right out of the joints. That's why we sort out the downspout or other drainage problem first, because new mortar in the path of the same water won't hold up for long.
Related masonry work for brick and stone homes
Fireplace installation
If you're fixing up the brick outside and want a new place to gather indoors, a fireplace installation adds masonry built to suit the house you have.
Stone veneer installation
If you'd rather change the look of a sound wall than match its old brick, stone veneer installation adds a stone face over the surface you already have.
Get your mortar joints looked at
Fixing joints while they're only worn is a smaller job than dealing with bricks that water has already cracked, so call (940) 298-1133 or send the form.
Mon–Fri: 8 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM