Brick Repointing & Masonry Repair in RI & MA
Fresh mortar joints that stop water intrusion and restore the strength of aging New England brickwork.
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Brick Repointing
Brick can last a century, but the mortar between it does not, and once those joints crumble, water gets in behind the brick and freeze-thaw does the rest. Across Rhode Island and Massachusetts, older homes and chimneys are full of brickwork with mortar that has eroded to a soft, recessed line, and repointing is what saves them before the damage moves from the joint to the brick itself. Levi Construction repoints brick and repairs masonry: grinding out failed mortar, packing in fresh mortar matched to the joint, and sealing the wall against the water that was getting in. Airton, the owner, does the repair work himself, matching the mortar color and joint profile so the repointed section blends with the original wall instead of standing out. On historic brick, using a mortar compatible with the soft old brick matters, and we work accordingly. With 6 years of masonry across RI and MA, we bring failing brickwork back to weathertight and sound.
Repointing is the process of removing deteriorated mortar from the joints of a brick or stone wall and replacing it with fresh mortar. The old, failed mortar is ground and raked out to a consistent depth without damaging the brick, the joints are cleaned, and new mortar is packed in and tooled to match the original joint profile. On historic masonry, the mortar mix matters: a too-hard modern mortar against soft old brick can trap moisture and crack the brick, so a compatible, breathable mix is used. Done right, repointing restores both the weather resistance and the structural bond of the wall.
Signs You Need Brick Repointing
- Mortar joints are cracked, crumbling, recessed or missing chunks
- You can scrape mortar out of the joints with a screwdriver by hand
- A brick chimney has deteriorated joints or loose brick
- Water is getting into a wall, basement or interior near brickwork
- Brick faces are starting to spall or pop where joints have failed
- You are restoring or selling an older RI or MA home with tired brickwork
Materials & Options
- Type N and Type S mortar matched to the wall
- Lime-based mortar for soft historic brick
- Color-matched mortar for a blended repair
- Replacement brick to match existing when needed
- Masonry cleaning and joint-raking
- Water-repellent breathable sealer where appropriate
How We Do It
- 01
Inspect the mortar and brick
We assess how far the mortar has failed, whether any brick needs replacing, and the age of the wall, then give a free estimate scoped to the repair.
- 02
Rake out failed mortar
We carefully grind and rake out the deteriorated mortar to a consistent depth, taking care not to chip or crack the surrounding brick.
- 03
Match and pack new mortar
We mix a mortar matched in color and hardness to the original, pack it firmly into the cleaned joints, and tool it to match the existing joint profile.
- 04
Replace and repair
Where individual brick is cracked or spalled, we swap in a matching brick so the wall is sound as well as sealed.
- 05
Clean and seal
We clean the brick faces and, where appropriate, apply a breathable water repellent so the wall sheds water without trapping moisture inside.
Why Homeowners Choose Levi Construction
Stops water at the joint
Fresh, properly tooled mortar closes the path water was taking into the wall, which is what stops freeze-thaw from spreading damage into the brick.
Matched to the original
Airton matches mortar color and joint profile so the repair blends into the wall instead of leaving a patchy line of new gray mortar.
Right mortar for old brick
On historic brick we use a compatible, breathable mix so the repair protects the soft old brick instead of cracking it with too-hard mortar.
Brick Repointing: Common Questions
The clearest sign is mortar you can scrape or dig out of the joints by hand, or joints that are cracked, recessed and shedding sand. If you see gaps, crumbling, or water showing up on the inside of a brick wall, the mortar has failed and water is getting in. At that point repointing protects the brick before the damage spreads.
Water enters the open joints, freezes in winter, and expands, which widens the joints and eventually spalls the faces off the brick itself. What starts as a repointing job becomes brick replacement and, on chimneys or walls, a structural problem. Repointing early is far cheaper than rebuilding later.
Yes. We match the mortar color and the joint profile so the repointed area blends with the original wall, and on historic brick we use a softer, breathable mortar compatible with old brick. Where a brick has to be replaced, we source the closest match we can so the repair does not stand out.
Cost typically ranges with the square footage of wall, how deep and severe the mortar failure is, the height and access (a chimney or upper wall needs staging), and whether any brick needs replacing. We give a free on-site estimate after seeing the actual condition of the joints.
Yes, chimneys are one of the most common repointing jobs because they take weather on all sides. We rake out and repack the failed joints, replace any loose or spalled brick, and seal the masonry so the chimney sheds water. Access and height factor into the estimate, and we scope that on site.
Get Your Free Brick Repointing Estimate
Serving Rhode Island and Eastern Massachusetts. The owner is on every job.