Brick pointing in Lansing MI - mortar joints that hold and brick that stays whole
Mortar crumbling or washing out of your brick joints? We find out why, fix what's behind it, and repoint the wall to match.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Does my brick wall need repointing or something more?
Brick pointing, or repointing, means cutting the old, decaying mortar out of the joints between your bricks and filling them with fresh mortar that matches the old color. In Lansing, we do it to stop crumbling joints before water gets in and the brick itself starts to go.
Most people call us after they notice sand on the sill, joints that have sunk back from the face of the brick, or a crack running through the mortar. The price moves with how much wall there is, how deep the joints are worn, whether the wall is tall enough to need scaffolding, which costs more per square foot, and whether any bricks need brick repair before the joints can be redone. The schedule turns on the weather, since fresh mortar needs mild days to set, and on whether your house sits in a local historic district, which adds a review before we start. Your estimate puts a number on your wall.
How we handle brick pointing
Before I quote repointing, I check whether the trouble is just the joints or the brick itself. Repointing only works when the damage stops at the mortar, so if I see leaks, stair-step cracks, or loose or cracked bricks, we find what's causing it and fix the brick first. Then we take the old mortar out, and on older or soft brick we do that by hand with chisels, because it's slower but far less likely to damage the brick than a power saw, which almost always breaks the edges of thin-jointed brick. We pack the joints with fresh mortar matched to the old color, tool them to the same shape as the rest, and clean up the wall and the ground under it.
Stair-step cracks usually mean something below the wall has moved, and repointing over them only hides it until they open again, so that calls for foundation repair first. A chimney takes more weather than any other brick on the house, so its joints often go first, and when it needs more than fresh mortar we handle it as chimney repair.
Repointing the worn sections
This suits a wall where most joints are still sound and the damage sits in a few spots, like under a leaky gutter or along the bottom rows. We match the new mortar to the old so the repair doesn't stand out.
Repointing the whole wall
This makes sense when worn joints run across most of the wall, because patching around them means coming back for the rest before long. It also leaves the wall with one even color and joint line from top to bottom.
Brick pointing on Lansing's older and historic homes
If your house is in one of Lansing's local historic districts, repointing the outside walls is exterior work, and any exterior work there needs a Certificate of Appropriateness that the city's Historic District Commission reviews. The application goes to the city's Planning Office, and you or someone representing you has to present it at the commission's meeting. Before work starts I check with the office that covers your address, and if your job needs that review, we work out the paperwork with you before anyone picks up a trowel.
Many of the brick homes and chimneys we work on around Lansing are older, with softer brick and mortar than what's laid today, so we plan on the hand work above more often than not. We see the same kind of older brick on jobs in East Lansing and Grand Ledge.
Why Lansing homeowners call Craftsman Lansing Concrete and Masonry for brick pointing
The owner sees every wall
I come out to look at your wall and give the estimate myself, and I work on site with our crew while the job gets done. The person who told you what's wrong is the one making sure it gets fixed.
Started out pointing neighbors' chimneys
I began with weekend side jobs for neighbors around Lansing, mostly rebuilding steps and pointing up old chimneys, and we've been in business since 2023. I'd still rather tell you a wall can wait than sell you work it doesn't need.
Licensed and insured on every job
We're licensed and fully insured. Michigan's maintenance and alteration contractor license includes masonry among its trades, and the trades each contractor may practice are listed right on the license.
Satisfaction guaranteed. If your joints are crumbling, call (517) 237-5922 or send us a few photos and I'll come take a look.
Request a quoteGet a free on-site estimate for your brick joints
We reply within one business day to set a time for me to come out and look at your wall. The estimate is free and done on site, and there's no obligation to go ahead.
What happens when you call about brick pointing in Lansing?
Call or send a few photos
Call (517) 237-5922 or send a few photos of the joints through the form. I'll set a time to come out and look at the wall myself.
Walk the wall with me
I tell you whether it's the joints or the brick, what I'd fix first and what can wait. It all goes into an estimate with the price for your wall, so you can think it over without anyone pushing.
Sort out any review first
If the house is in a local historic district, the city's Planning Office needs the application at least 21 days before the commission meeting that reviews it. We build that wait into the schedule with you so nothing starts early.
Repoint, clean up, look it over
We do the work and clean up the wall and the ground around it. Then I look it over with you before we call it finished.
Frequently asked questions
How much does brick repointing cost in Lansing?
Across the US, repointing brick usually costs about $500 to $2,500 per 100 square feet, and that's a national figure, not our price. Where your wall lands depends on its size, its height and how worn the joints are. Your own number comes from the estimate once I've seen the wall.
How do I know if my mortar needs repointing?
Your mortar needs repointing if it has worn back more than 1/4 inch, crumbles, has holes, or shows hairline cracks. Cracks between the brick and the mortar count too. You can check your joints for these signs before you call.
How long does brick repointing last?
National guides put professional repointing at 20 to 30 years, sometimes longer, depending on the mortar, the mason's skill and the weather the wall faces. Homes that see harsh weather or frequent freeze-thaw cycles may need it sooner, which is why the mortar and the workmanship matter so much.
Do I need approval to repoint brick in a Lansing historic district?
Yes, if your house is in a local historic district, repointing the outside needs a Certificate of Appropriateness before work starts, as covered above. If you're not sure whether your house is in one, I check that with the city when I come out to look.
What kind of mortar should be used to repoint old brick?
New mortar should be about as strong as the original or weaker, because mortar that's harder than the brick can damage it in ways that can't be repaired. Ask any mason you're considering how their new mortar compares with your old mortar.
What is the best time of year to repoint brick?
One national cost guide advises repointing between late spring and early fall. It suggests the air stay between 40 and 90 degrees F for 24 hours before the work and 72 hours after, so the fresh mortar can set properly.
Other work that often comes up with repointing
Foundation repair
If cracks step up your brick wall like a staircase or keep coming back, the ground or foundation underneath may be moving, and that needs fixing before new mortar will last.
Chimney repair
Loose bricks up top, a cracked crown or water showing up near the fireplace usually mean your chimney needs more than new joints, so we repair what's failing first.
Lansing, MI
Send us photos of your mortar joints
Include the wall height and whether your house is in a local historic district, so I can tell you what to expect before I even come out.