Brick pointing in Long Beach CA - sound joints that shed water and spare your brick
Mortar crumbling or sunk back from the brick? We clear out the worn joints and refill them with mortar soft enough to spare your brick.
Is it time to repoint the brick on your Long Beach house?
Brick pointing, also called repointing or tuckpointing, means raking out the worn mortar between your bricks and packing in fresh mortar. In Long Beach, it's one of the best ways to cut down the water soaking into a brick wall. At Blockworks Long Beach Concrete & Masonry, I look at your joints before we talk about fixing anything.
Most people call when the mortar between their bricks starts turning to sand or one corner of the wall keeps looking damp. The price depends on how much of the wall has worn joints and how hard it is to reach. The schedule mostly depends on any city steps your house needs first, and your estimate gives you the figure for your own wall. If cracks run through the bricks themselves or step down the wall, I'd want to look for movement underneath first, because that's a foundation repair question before it's a pointing one.
Why homeowners call us for brick pointing
I come out and look at your joints myself before anyone quotes a thing, and I'd rather spend an extra hour working out why the mortar failed than guess.
I come out myself
I look at every job in person, and I'm on site working alongside our crew when the pointing gets done.
Mortar matched to yours
We work out how soft your old mortar is and match it or go softer, since hard mortar can chip brick.
Now or later, said plainly
If your joints have a few good years left, I'll tell you that and show you what to keep an eye on.
In business since 2023
I worked masonry crews every summer through school before starting this business in Long Beach in 2023.
Licensed and fully insured
We carry both on every job, and I'm glad to show you proof when I come out to look.
Brick pointing options we'll talk through
The right choice depends on how many joints have actually failed and where they are, so I'd want to walk the wall with you before we settle it.
Talk to me about brick pointing
Call (562) 257-3026 or send the form with a few photos of the worn joints, and I'll come take a look.
Why homeowners trust Blockworks for brick pointing
On the first visit I go along the wall joint by joint, looking at where the mortar is worst and what keeps wetting it, like a gutter that spills over or a sprinkler aimed at the brick. That part matters to me, because new mortar in a wall that stays soaked wears out the same way the old mortar did.
Once the work starts, the old mortar comes out slowly so the brick edges stay crisp, and the new mortar gets packed in firm and shaped to match the old joints. We clean the brick face as we go, and you end up with a wall whose joints look like they belong there.
Brick pointing questions we hear
How do I know if my brick needs pointing?
Your joints are due when the mortar has worn back more than a quarter inch from the brick face, crumbles, has gaps or shows hairline cracks. Cracks opening between the brick and the mortar count too, so take a close look along the wall.
Should new mortar be stronger than the old mortar on a brick wall?
No, repointing mortar should be the same strength as the original or weaker. Stronger mortar can make the face of the brick flake and pop off, so a harder mix is no upgrade. That's why I work out how soft yours is first, and it's a fair question to ask any mason.
How long does mortar last between bricks?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the bricks themselves may well go past 100. A sound brick wall will need its joints redone now and then over its life. That's ordinary upkeep, not a sign the wall is failing.
Does my historic Long Beach home need city approval before brick pointing?
If your home is a Long Beach landmark or sits in a historic district, the city requires a Certificate of Appropriateness before any exterior change starts, and building repairs are a common reason people apply. Maintenance that makes no physical change to the outside needs no historic review, and the city says extra requirements may apply in coastal zones too. I ask about both early, so you can start the certificate before we put you on the schedule.
What is the best way to choose a mason for brick pointing?
Choose someone with real experience at repointing, because it's a skill of its own and an excellent mason may not be qualified for it. Before you pick a contractor, you can ask to see their repointing skills tested and evaluated, and ask what caused your old mortar to fail. In California, this work falls under the state's masonry contractor license, so ask about that too.
How much does brick pointing cost in Long Beach?
There's no honest single number before I've seen your wall, because pointing is slow, labor-heavy work and every wall is different. On thin brick joints, a power saw tends to break the brick edges, so the careful way to get old mortar out takes time. A tall wall or chimney, a soft older mortar to match and any historic review all add to the job, and I'll give you the figure for your wall after the visit.
What happens when you call about brick pointing in Long Beach?
We plan the job around your house and your week. It starts with a look at the wall and any city steps it needs before we touch a joint.
Call or send the form
Call (562) 257-3026 or use the form, tell us what you've noticed about the wall, and we'll set a time for me to come out.
I look at the wall
I come out, look over the joints and the brick, and ask what you've seen, like where it stays damp or where mortar keeps falling.
Your estimate
I give you an estimate for your wall. Once you're ready, we sort out any permit or historic review with the city first.
Pointing and walkthrough
I'm on site with our crew doing the work, and when the last joint is done we walk the finished wall with you.
Brick pointing in Long Beach and nearby cities
We're based in Long Beach, where most home repairs need a permit from Building and Safety, and pointing isn't on its exempt list. We check with the city and pull a permit when one is needed. Pick your city below or call.
Have Blockworks look at your brick joints
Call (562) 257-3026 or send the form for a free in-person estimate, with every job backed by our satisfaction guarantee.