Chimney brick replacement for Sulphur Springs homes

Mortar that is harder than the brick

Mortar is meant to be the weaker, more permeable part of a brick wall. The National Park Service explains that repointing mortar should be softer and more vapor permeable than the bricks, and that mortar stronger than the units can cause damage such as cracking and spalling.

When hard mortar surrounds softer brick, moisture and movement stresses end up in the brick instead of the joint. Replacing bricks in that situation without addressing the mortar can repeat the damage.

We compare the existing mortar and the bricks before choosing the repair mortar, and explain the choice on the estimate.

Setting the replacement brick

BIA's maintenance guidance lays out the method. The surrounding bricks are dampened but allowed to absorb the surface water, the replacement brick and the opening are fully buttered with mortar, and the brick is centered and pressed into place.

Excess mortar is struck off, the joints around the new brick are pointed to make sure they are full, and they are tooled once the mortar is thumbprint hard to match the profile of the existing joints.

Full joints around the new unit matter as much as the brick itself, because gaps there would let water straight back into the repair.

Repointing the joints around replaced bricks

When the joints around a replaced brick have also worn, they are repointed rather than patched. The National Park Service recommends raking out deteriorated mortar to a depth of two to two and a half times the width of the joint.

The Brick Industry Association recommends placing repointing mortar in thin layers and tooling each when it is thumbprint hard, so the joint is packed full.

Joint work is priced separately from brick replacement on the estimate, because some chimneys need one without the other.

Repointing the joints that have failed, and matching the ones that have not, keeps the repair in proportion to the damage.

Why homeowners choose our team for chimney brick repair

Our local, family-owned team inspects the chimney free, explains which bricks have failed and why, and puts the repair and its price in writing. We replace failed units with care for the masonry around them and use mortar suited to the chimney.

Our workmanship warranty and 100% satisfaction guarantee both cover the work, and if you approve the brick work within 72 hours of the free inspection, you save 10%.