Brick pointing in Henderson NV - tight joints that keep water out of your wall
Mortar crumbling or cracking between your bricks? We clean out the worn joints by hand and refill them so water stays out.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What is brick pointing, and does my wall need it?
Brick pointing in Henderson, NV, means clearing the worn mortar out of the joints between your bricks and packing in fresh mortar. It's one of the best ways to keep water out of a brick wall, and it gives the joints a fresh start without touching brick that's still sound.
Most folks call once the mortar between their bricks starts looking tired and they can't tell if it's a patch job or something bigger. If some of the bricks themselves are cracked or broken, that's brick repair, and we usually handle both in one job. The price moves with how much wall needs pointing, how deep the bad mortar goes, how high we have to work and how tricky your old mortar is to match. The schedule turns on those same things, plus whether the job needs a permit. The written estimate I leave you puts your own number on it.
How can you tell your mortar joints are wearing out?
Joints sunk back from the brick
The mortar sits back from the face so you can see the edge of each brick, and water collects on that little ledge. It usually means the joint has been washing out for a while, and the deeper it goes, the more mortar has to come out to reach solid material.
Mortar that crumbles or has holes
Sand falls out when you rub the joint, or there are gaps where mortar used to be. Water goes straight through those holes into the wall, so waiting can leave you with loose bricks to reset as well as joints to fill.
Thin cracks along the joints
You see fine cracks running through the mortar, or a hairline gap where the mortar has pulled away from the brick. Small cracks like that still let water in, and they tend to get wider and longer the longer they're left.
How we handle brick pointing
First I figure out why the joints failed, because pointing over a problem just hides it for a while. Then we clear the old mortar out with hand tools, down to sound material. Most brick has thin joints, and a power saw on thin joints almost always chips the brick edges and cuts too far into the short vertical joints, so a chipped edge stays chipped for good. The new mortar gets matched to what's already in your wall, about as strong or softer rather than harder, because when the mortar is harder than the brick, the brick takes the beating and the damage can't be undone. We pack the joints full, shape them to match the rest of the wall, clean the brick face and leave your yard the way we found it. My old boss used to say the joint you rush is the one you do twice, and he was right.
Pointing fixes the joints, not whatever cracked them, so I look past the mortar before I write anything up. If cracks climb the wall in a staircase pattern, the house may be settling, and foundation repair comes first, because fresh mortar on a moving wall just cracks right along with it. Up top, loose joints on a chimney are often the first sign it needs chimney repair, and we can take care of both while the ladders are up.
Get a written estimate for your brick pointing
Send the form and we'll get back to you within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at your wall with you and leave a free written estimate, with no obligation.
- team@hendersonconcreteandmasonry.com
- Based in
- Henderson, NV 89015
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 6 AM–9 PM, Sat–Sun: 7 AM–9 PM
What happens after you call us about brick pointing?
Here's how a pointing job runs, from your first call to the day I walk the finished wall with you.
Call or send us a message
Call (702) 832-0706 or fill out the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time. Let us know roughly where the worn joints are and how high up they go.
I check the wall with you
I come out myself, ask what you've noticed and test the joints to see how deep the soft mortar runs. Before I leave, you'll have a written estimate, so you know the price before any mortar comes out.
We point it, then walk it
Once you say go, we handle any permit the job needs, and our own crew clears and fills the joints, which is slow, noisy work. When it's done, I walk the wall with you before we pack up.
Why Henderson homeowners call us for brick pointing
If the mortar on your wall is starting to go, send us a message or call (702) 832-0706, and I'll come take a look with you.
I check the joints along the way
Our own crew does the pointing, and I check it while the work is going on, not just at the end. A shallow joint is easy to fix before the mortar sets and a lot harder after.
Trained by a stubborn old mason
We've been in business since 2021, and I learned under a boss who'd make me tear out a whole course if the joints weren't right. Repair work on brick, block and stone is what we're best known for, and I still work to his standard.
Licensed and insured for your job
We're licensed and insured. Nevada's state contractors board exempts repair jobs under $1,000, labor and materials together, from licensing, but that exemption ends in some cases, such as when the job needs a building permit, so on anything bigger, ask whoever bids your wall for their licence.
Brick pointing and wall repair around Henderson
Permits in Henderson come from the city's Building and Fire Safety Department, which also checks plans and inspects work to make sure it meets the building code. I won't assume a pointing job is permit-free, and the rules differ between the cities and the county, so we check with the office that covers your address before we start. When your job needs a permit, we apply for it, set up the inspections and meet the inspector, so you're not the one chasing paperwork.
Most of the pointing we do around here is on garden walls, planters, chimneys and brick trim on stucco houses, where the joints usually go first near the ground and around anything that gets wet. We point those the same way, by hand and with matched mortar, on jobs in Paradise and Boulder City as well as Henderson.
Questions about brick pointing in Henderson
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Your brick needs repointing when the mortar has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the face, crumbles when you scrape it, has holes, or shows hairline cracks or gaps between the brick and the mortar. A house key is all you need to check, because you can run it along a joint and see how far it sinks in and whether sand falls out. If you find that on more than a few joints, give us a call.
How much does brick repointing cost in Henderson, NV?
The cost depends on your wall, so the honest number comes on the written estimate after I've looked at it. A few soft joints near the ground cost far less than a tall wall that needs scaffolding. Deep, crumbling joints take longer to clear than shallow ones, an unusual old mortar takes more work to match, and cracked bricks that need replacing add to it.
How long does brick repointing last?
Mortar joints usually last more than 25 years, depending on how much weather the wall takes and what mortar went into it. The bricks themselves may well last more than 100 years, which is why it makes sense to renew the joints and keep the wall.
Can any bricklayer repoint my brick wall?
Not always, because a bricklayer who lays new walls well may not be skilled at repointing. Seeing a mason's past pointing work, or a small test patch on a hidden part of the wall, is a good way to judge. It's also fair to ask what tools they'll use to clear the old joints and how they'll match your mortar.
How long does it take to repoint a brick wall?
Repointing takes longer than most people expect, because it's precise, slow work and the joints get cleared by hand. On a tall wall, scaffolding can stand against the house for a while, and it's noisy while the old mortar comes out. I'll go over the schedule for your wall when I write the estimate.
What is the white powder on my brick after repointing?
That white bloom is usually efflorescence, salts carried to the surface as the wall dries, and it sometimes shows up in the first few months after repointing. It usually goes away with normal weathering, so give it time before you scrub at it.
Related services for cracked or leaking brick
Foundation repair
When doors start sticking and the same cracks open again after patching, the house may be settling, and that's worth sorting out before anyone touches the joints.
Chimney repair
A chimney with loose bricks, a cracked crown or mortar washing out near the roofline needs work up top, often more than fresh joints can handle.
Service areas for brick pointing near Henderson
Artisan Henderson Concrete and Masonry is based in Henderson, Nevada, and we point brick in the cities around it. The 10 areas listed here, from Enterprise to Summerlin South, each have their own page, and we work beyond them too.
Henderson, NV
Get your mortar joints looked at
Have a couple of phone photos of the worst joints handy when you call or write, so I can get a feel for the wall before I come out.