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Platinum Construction
5.0(
7
)
Brick or Stone - Tuck-pointingBrick or Stone - Tuckpointing - For BusinessBrick or Stone Siding: Install or Completely Replace+3 more

Serving Iowa, LA and surrounding areas

In business since 2020

Free estimates

Warranties offered

"Was totally satisfied with the job they did. I had 10 of my pillars bricked and they came out great. The team was on time and cleaned up as they went no mess left behind. That was a key point l noticed. Sometime contractors are bad about clean up, but this crew was outstanding. Would highly recommend Platinum Construction for any of your masonry/brick layer needs."
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Response time1 day
Response rate100%
Recommended by100%of homeowners
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Masonry questions, answered by experts

There are many things to look for when buying a brick house. Here are some of the key things you should pay close attention to.

  • Lintels: Look for cracks, holes, displacement, or corrosion

  • Mortar: Check to see if the mortar is old and crumbling, in need of repointing, or new. Also check to see if the mortar has a professional finish.

  • Walls: Check along each side of the house. If a wall is bowing outward, this indicates a severe issue such as foundation damage or that the walls are ready to fall.

  • Cracks: If there are stair step cracks in the brickwork, this indicates an unstable foundation.

Spalling brick is not uncommon, but it does indicate a serious issue. It can be caused by water damage, an intense freeze-thaw cycle, or something else. Painted bricks can be susceptible to spalling, as the paint doesn’t allow the porous material of the brick to breathe, which can trap moisture. Spalling should always be addressed immediately before more serious structural damage occurs.

Yes, it is usually possible to repair a damaged brick mailbox. A professional brick mason or masonry contractor can perform the repairs. They can assess the damage, provide an estimate, and help you determine if the repair is worthwhile based on the mailbox's value and the extent of the damage. The repair process may involve sourcing replacement bricks and mortar. Damaged bricks can be cut out and replaced, or the mortar joints can be cut out and retucked. It's important to note that the new mortar may differ in color from the original. If the mailbox insert itself is damaged, it can typically be cut out and replaced as well. If your brick mailbox has been completely destroyed, you should check with your local building code enforcement office before rebuilding, as some areas do not allow brick mailboxes due to the potential hazard they pose to drivers.

Two types of masonry are veneer masonry and solid masonry. Veneer masonry is thin brick or stone material attached to the face of a building. With veneer masonry, the walls support the weight of the masonry products rather than the masonry being built on a concrete footing. Solid masonry is a wall or other brick or stone structure built on a concrete footing, and the masonry supports itself.

You will repoint over a fraction of the old mortar, but you should scrape away 1/2 to 1 inch of mortar from the joints before repointing. Otherwise, the repointing is only masking the weakened mortar instead of actually replacing it, which could put your chimney at risk of bigger, more expensive damages later on.

The Iowa, LA homeowners’ guide to masonry services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.