Brick pointing in Lake Charles LA - tight joints with mortar matched to your brick
Mortar crumbling or sitting back from the brick face? We clean out the worn joints and refill them so less water gets into your wall.
What is brick pointing and when does it help?
Brick pointing in Lake Charles means our crew cuts the worn mortar out from between your bricks and fills those joints with fresh mortar, which is one of the most effective ways to cut down on water getting into a brick wall.
Most people call us after they notice gaps in the mortar, sand on the ground under a wall or a damp spot inside behind the brick. If the bricks themselves are cracked or flaking, that's brick repair, and we often do both on the same wall. The price mostly comes down to how much wall needs work, how deep the joints are worn, how high we have to reach and whether something behind the damage needs fixing first. The schedule turns on those same things plus any permit check, so I walk the job with you, explain what I see and then send you the estimate in writing.
How we handle brick pointing, start to finish
I start by looking at the wall with you and working out why the mortar wore out, because a spilling gutter or a crack from movement will eat new mortar the same way, and that has to be fixed before any new mortar goes in. Then our crew rakes the old mortar out of the worn joints down to sound material and brushes them clean. We match the new mortar to what's already in your wall rather than reaching for the strongest mix, because brick industry guidance says repointing mortar should be equal to or lower in strength than the original, and a harder mortar can make the face of the brick break away in flakes, which masons call spalling, and that damage can't be undone. We pack the joints, shape them to match the rest of the wall and clean the brick before we leave.
Pointing only holds if the wall behind it is sound. Mortar cracks that climb a wall in a staircase line, or that open again after they're filled, can mean the house is moving, and that calls for foundation repair before we touch the joints. Chimneys wear their joints out too, high up where nobody looks, so if the chimney's mortar is loose or its bricks are shifting, I'll show you and we can add chimney repair to the job.
Type N for most modern brick
The brick industry generally recommends Type N mortar for modern brick, so that's where most newer houses start. We still check it against a sample of your old mortar before we mix a batch.
Type O or K for softer walls
Type O suits walls where a mix with more cement would be too hard, and Type K, the weakest, is generally kept for historic masonry. Older homes and soft brick are where these come up, and we'll tell you which one we plan to use and why.
Brick pointing rules and homes in Lake Charles
In Lake Charles, the city's Permit Center handles permit requirements for building, electrical, mechanical and plumbing work, and repointing isn't spelled out on that list, so we ask them about your address before we start rather than guess. You can call them yourself at 337-491-1294. When a permit is needed, we take care of the paperwork and tell you where it stands. If your house sits in the Charpentier or Margaret Place historic districts, the city's Historic Preservation Commission reviews design standards and requests for exceptions there, and the city publishes maps of both districts and guidelines for Margaret Place, so we check those before we settle on a mortar color or joint shape.
On brick homes around Lake Charles, the worst joints usually sit under a gutter that spills onto the wall, behind shrubs planted tight to the brick or low where sprinklers hit, so that's where I look first. We find the same thing on jobs in Sulphur and Moss Bluff, and we work across the cities around Lake Charles.
Fresh joints in brick walls
Why call us for brick pointing
I look first, then check
I come out to look at the wall and talk it through with you, and while our crew does the work, I'm on site checking it as it goes. You'll know what we found, what we did and what to keep an eye on afterward.
Licensed and fully insured
We're licensed and fully insured. In Louisiana, whether a job needs a contractor's license or a home improvement registration depends on the type of project and its total cost, labor and materials together, and the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors holds those records.
Years of brick upkeep behind us
Before I started this business in 2023, I spent years keeping up brick on rental homes and apartments and learned the trade working next to the masons we brought in. That's where I saw how often a wet wall traces back to one cause nobody fixed.
On a pointing job, the mortar choice matters more than anything else, and our work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee. Call us or send the form and I'll come take a look at your wall.
(337) 502-4212Ask for a written estimate on your brick pointing
We reply within one business day by phone or message, and the estimate is free, on site and comes with no obligation. I'll come out, walk the wall with you, explain what I see and then send the estimate in writing. Photos of the worn joints and a note if your house is in a historic district help me plan the visit.
Brick pointing questions from Lake Charles homeowners
How do I know my brick mortar needs repointing?
Your mortar needs repointing when it has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the brick face, crumbles when you rub it, has holes or shows hairline cracks or cracks between the brick and the mortar. Those are the signs the brick industry lists. Catching them early lets you plan the work while the joints still keep most of the water out.
How long does mortar last on a brick house before it needs repointing?
Mortar usually lasts about 25 to 50 years, while the brick around it can last 100 years or more. That gap is the whole reason pointing exists, since the joints are meant to wear out long before the brick does. If your house is getting into that range, check the walls that take the most water first.
How much does brick pointing cost in Lake Charles?
There's no set price, because every wall is a different size and a different level of wear. Pointing a few bad spots costs far less than redoing a whole face, and a second story or chimney adds time for ladders or scaffolding. Fixing a cause, like a leak, adds to it as well. I'll walk the wall with you and send a written estimate.
How long does brick repointing take on a house?
Repointing takes longer than most people expect, because each joint is cleaned out and refilled by hand. It's precise, noisy work, and on a tall wall scaffolding may stay up across the face of the house for a while. I'll give you a schedule for your wall along with the estimate.
How do I pick a mason for repointing brick?
Pick one who can show you repointing they've already done, because a good bricklayer isn't always skilled at repointing. The brick industry suggests asking to see past repointing projects or a small demonstration on a hidden section of your wall. Ask what mortar they plan to use and why, too, since that choice is what protects your brick.
Is tuckpointing the same thing as brick pointing?
Yes, most people use pointing, repointing and tuckpointing for the same job, replacing worn mortar in the joints with fresh mortar. The name matters less than the method, so ask how deep the old mortar will be cut out and what goes back in. Our tuckpointing page covers the same work.
Get brick pointing and the cause behind it checked
Call (337) 502-4212 or use the form, and send photos of the worn joints so I can see the wall before I come out.
