Brick pointing in Victorville CA - solid new joints that match the old mortar
Mortar crumbling or worn back from your brick? We clear out the bad joints and refill them with mortar that suits your wall.
What is brick pointing, and does my wall need it?
Brick pointing, which most masons call repointing, means raking out the worn or crumbling mortar between your bricks and packing those joints with fresh mortar matched to the old color. In Victorville it's how we tighten up a brick wall, chimney or planter without tearing out good brick.
Most people call us after mortar starts falling out of a wall or a crack shows up, and the first thing I check is whether the trouble stops at the joints, because loose or cracked brick gets fixed before any new mortar goes in. Cracks that keep reopening can point to movement underneath, which is foundation repair work, and a chimney that's loose up top usually needs chimney repair along with the pointing. The price mostly follows how much of the wall has bad joints, how tall it is, since walls that need scaffolding cost more per square foot, and whether any brick needs work first. The schedule turns on the weather, because mortar needs mild days to set right, and the estimate I write tells you what we'll do and why.
How do you know your brick joints need pointing?
Most of what tells you a wall needs pointing is right there in the joints if you look closely along a few rows. Here's what we look for, and the one sign that means it's more than mortar.
Mortar that's worn back well behind the brick face usually means the joints have weathered out and need refilling.
Mortar that crumbles or turns to sand when you rub it has lost its strength and should be raked out.
Holes or empty spots in the joints let water into the wall, so they're worth filling before they grow.
Hairline cracks running through the mortar itself usually mean the joints are aging and ready for repointing.
A thin gap between the brick and the mortar means the bond has let go, and water can follow it.
Stair-step cracks, loose bricks or brick faces flaking off mean the brick itself needs work, not just the joints.
If mortar is falling out of the joints or water is showing up inside, call us at (760) 493-2913 instead of waiting another season.
What happens when you call us about brick pointing in Victorville?
Here's how a pointing job runs with us, from your first call to the last sweep of the sidewalk. I come out to look at it myself, and I'm happy to explain anything a second time.
Call or send a message
Call (760) 493-2913 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time for me to come out. We're based in Victorville and work across the High Desert, so if you're farther out, just ask.
Walk the wall together
I look over the joints and the brick with you, check whether the trouble stops at the mortar and answer whatever you want to ask. Then I write up an estimate that says what we'll do and why, so you know the price before any work starts.
Plan the permit and the weather
If you go ahead, we handle any permit the job needs. We also book the work for mild days, because mortar packed in hard heat or cold doesn't set the way it should.
Point the joints and clean up
Our crew rakes out the bad mortar and packs in the new while I check the work as it goes, and it's noisy work, with scaffolding up for a while on taller walls. I learned in kitchens to clean as you go, and we clean up before we call it done.
Get a free on-site estimate for your brick pointing
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out. The estimate is free, it's done on site, and there's no pressure to book.
- Call
- (760) 493-2913
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM
Mortar choice and joint style for your wall
The mortar matters more than most people expect. Industry guidance says new mortar should be similar in strength to the old or weaker, because mortar that's harder than the brick can make the brick face break away, which masons call spalling. Before we start, I'll tell you how the mix we plan to use compares with what's in your wall, and you should feel free to ask about it.
Most walls get plain repointing, with new mortar matched to the color of the old so the repair blends in. Tuckpointing is a different look, using mortar matched to the brick and then a thin line of contrasting putty along each joint for crisp, fine lines. It's a style choice more than a repair choice, so I'll ask which you're after before we price it.
Like prepping before you cook, most of the real work happens before any mortar goes in, because the old joint has to be raked out clean and deep enough for the new mortar to grip. Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, depending on how exposed the wall is and the mortar used, while brick may well go past 100, so the joints are the part that wears and gets redone.
Brick pointing questions we hear in Victorville
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
If the mortar has worn back more than about 1/4 inch from the brick face, or it's crumbling, has holes, hairline cracks or gaps along the brick, your wall is due for repointing. Only the joints that have actually failed need redoing, so we leave sound original mortar in place, which keeps a labor-heavy job smaller.
Should I fix cracked or loose bricks before repointing?
Yes, because repointing only works when the damage is limited to the mortar joints. Leaks, stair-step cracks, loose or cracked bricks and spalling all mean the brick needs repair first, and we take care of that through our brick repair work before we point the joints around it.
How much does brick repointing cost in Victorville?
Repointing brick across the US usually costs about $3 to $25 per square foot of wall, and that's the national range for the work, not our price. Where your wall lands in it depends on the size, height and brick repairs I covered up top, and the estimate I write on site gives you our number for your wall.
What is the best time of year to repoint brick in Victorville?
Spring and fall are usually best, because one cost guide calls days between 40 and 90 degrees, holding for at least 24 to 72 hours, the ideal weather for mortar to cure. Over the long run, Victorville's weather station has averaged 95 days a year at or above 90°F, mostly in July and August, and about 40 days below 33°F, mostly in December and January, so our summers and coldest months both fall outside that window. The same guide says emergency work in winter or a heat wave will likely cost more, which is why I'd rather plan your job ahead for a mild stretch.
Do I need a permit to repoint brick in Victorville?
Victorville's permit list doesn't name brick repointing, so the city's Building Division is the place to confirm whether your job needs one, since it takes questions on work the list leaves out. If it isn't clear for your wall, we check with the building office before we start.
Does a small brick repair job need a licensed contractor in California?
It does unless the job stays within the state's $1,000 minor work limit, needs no permit and the person doing it employs no one, since California's exemption only applies when all three are true. We're fully licensed and insured, so that question doesn't come up with us.
Other repairs that often come with pointing
Foundation repair
When stair-step cracks keep coming back or doors start sticking, the house may be moving underneath, and that needs fixing before fresh mortar will last.
Chimney repair
A chimney takes the worst of the weather on most houses, so loose crowns, cracked brick or leaks up top need repair before or along with pointing.
Send us photos of your worn joints
A few photos and the wall's rough size and height let me come out already knowing what to look at, so call (760) 493-2913 or use the form.
Mon–Fri: 6 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 8 AM–9 PM