Masonry restoration in Lincoln NE - mortar that wears before your brick does
Sandy joints, loose bricks or damp spots inside? We find where the water gets in, fix it, and repoint with mortar that suits your brick.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
Is it time to repoint your Lincoln brick house?
Masonry restoration in Lincoln, NE, is mostly repointing. We clear the worn mortar out of the joints between your bricks, pack in new mortar that suits the brick, and fix the water problem that wore the old joints down, so the wall sheds water again.
Most people call us when they can rub sand out of a joint with a finger, see mortar sitting back from the face of the brick, or find a damp spot on an inside wall, and if the bricks themselves are flaking, the job usually takes in some brick repair too. The price mostly follows how much of the wall needs new joints, how high we have to work and whether there's a leak to fix first, while the schedule turns mostly on mild weather for the mortar to cure. Your written estimate puts your own numbers on all of that.
How we handle masonry restoration
Before we touch a joint, I look for where the water's coming from, whether that's a gutter that spills over, a cracked chimney cap or ground that slopes toward the wall, because new mortar won't last if the wall keeps getting soaked. Once that's fixed, we rake the worn mortar out to sound material, by hand where the brick is soft so we don't chip the edges, and swap out any bricks that have flaked apart. On older homes we want a mortar that lets moisture out and wears before the brick does, and I'll talk with you about lime mortar where your walls call for it. We match the color and shape of the old joints, pack the new mortar in layers and keep it damp while it sets, and we go easy on washes and sealers, since the wrong one can do old brick more harm than the weather.
Restoration work often runs into the fireplace or the newer parts of the house. When the firebox inside is cracked past saving, we can take on a fireplace installation and tie it into the chimney we've just repointed, and where a foundation or addition needs a new face, stone veneer installation can sit beside the old brick without looking tacked on.
Spot repointing
This suits a wall where the damage sits in one place, like under a gutter or around a chimney top, and the rest of the joints are still sound. I'd rather fix that area right than sell you the whole wall.
Full-wall repointing
This is for walls where the mortar is soft and recessed all over, which is common on older houses because the joints were all laid at once. Doing it in one go keeps the color and the joints even across the wall.
Call rather than wait if bricks are loose, a chimney top looks out of line, or water is showing up inside, because those get worse and cost more the longer they sit.
What happens when you call us about repointing in Lincoln?
I come out to every estimate myself, and our own small crew of masons does the work with me on the job. Here's how it runs from your first call to the final walk-through.
Call or send the form
Call (402) 202-7624 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come see the house. If it's a local landmark or sits in a landmark district, mention it then.
I look for the cause
I check the joints and the brick, then follow the water back to where it's getting in. I walk you through what I'd do and why, and if a smaller job will do, I'll tell you so.
You get a written estimate
The estimate puts the work we talked through in writing, so you know what you're paying for before anything starts. If you go ahead and the job needs a permit, we take care of it.
Our crew repoints, then we walk it
Our own masons do the work, with me there on the job. When the last joint is finished, I walk the wall with you before we call it done.
Get a written repointing estimate for your walls
We reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out, look at the walls and where the water's going, and you get a written estimate. It's free, and there's no pressure to book.
(402) 202-7624Masonry restoration on older Lincoln homes
If your house is one of Lincoln's local landmarks or sits in a local landmark district, exterior changes have to follow the city's design standards, and mortar color and joint shape are a big part of how a brick wall looks. For a landmark, the city's Planning Director can approve work that the property's guidelines leave open and that doesn't affect any architectural features. A house that's only on the National Register isn't held to those guidelines in Lincoln unless federal money is part of the project. Whether your repointing needs that review isn't something we'd guess at, so if you're not sure where your house stands, we'll check with the city before we start and plan the mortar and joints to fit.
Around Lincoln we see a lot of older brick with the joints worn hardest under gutters and around chimneys, and now and then an old patch of hard gray cement over soft brick that has to come out carefully. We're based in Lincoln and work in the cities around it, and we run into the same kinds of houses on jobs in Seward and Crete.
Repointing questions from Lincoln homeowners
How much does masonry restoration cost in Lincoln, NE?
The cost comes from your wall, so the real figure is in the written estimate after I've seen it. The big swings are how much of the wall needs new joints, how high we have to work, how stubborn the old mortar is, and whether a leak or flaked bricks need fixing too. Lime mortar and careful color matching take more time, and doing only the worn area instead of the whole wall brings the price down.
What is the difference between repointing and tuckpointing?
Repointing replaces worn mortar in the joints, while true tuckpointing is a decorative finish. In tuckpointing, the joints are filled with brick-colored mortar and a thin line in a contrasting color is scored down the middle so the joints look thin. Plenty of people say tuckpointing when they mean repointing, and either word gets you to the right call.
Why does the type of mortar matter on old brick?
Mortar is supposed to be the softer part of the wall, wearing away over time so the bricks don't. In one documented wall, hard cement mortar that held water tighter than the soft brick caused severe damage, because the trapped moisture couldn't dry out through the joints. Lime mortar is soft and porous and barely changes size as temperatures swing, which makes it a good fit for historic buildings.
When is the best time of year to repoint brick?
Spring and fall are usually best. One national cost guide recommends planning for those seasons, when daytime temperatures stay between 40 and 90 degrees for at least 24 to 72 hours, which it calls ideal curing weather for mortar. That's why the timing of this work leans on the forecast.
What causes mortar to wash out of brick walls?
Water that keeps hitting the same spot is the usual cause, often from a downspout, gutter or chimney top. In one case a leaking downspout leached away much of a building's mortar, and the fix meant replacing the downspout and repairing other drainage problems along with the joints. If the water source stays, new mortar wears out the same way.
How do I choose a masonry contractor in Lincoln?
Start by asking whether they're registered, since Nebraska requires contractors to register with the state before doing construction work here. Registration doesn't vouch for the quality of the work or protect you from fraud, so also ask how they'll find the cause and what mortar they'd use on your brick. We're licensed and insured. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Related masonry work for brick homes
If the brick around your firebox or hearth is worn past repair, a new fireplace can be built to sit right with the restored masonry around it.
Adding stone to a foundation, porch or addition gives newer walls a finished face, and it's laid with care so water drains out instead of soaking in.
Book a look at your brick walls
Call (402) 202-7624 or send the form now, since every rain that finds an open joint washes out a little more mortar and wets the brick behind it.