Our Work
The details of a brick replacement in Elder Springs
Choosing the replacement mortar
The Brick Industry Association advises that repair mortar should have a compressive strength equal to or lower than the original, and physical properties similar to the existing mortar. A mortar harder than the old one puts the stress on the edges of the brick, where it can pop the face off.
Its guidance names Type N as generally suited to modern work and Type O where mortars with more cement would be too strong. Our specialists match the mortar to the brick in your chimney and list the type on the written estimate, so you know what is going into the wall.
Setting the new brick with full joints
Water finds the gaps in a half-filled joint. Technical Note 46 from the Brick Industry Association describes buttering the surfaces of the surrounding brick and of the replacement completely with mortar, centering the new brick in the opening and pressing it into place, then pointing around it to make full head and bed joints.
Our crew follows that sequence on Elder Springs chimneys. The replacement ends up bedded on every side, which keeps it tight in the wall and gives rain no open path around it. Excess mortar is struck off with the trowel before it can smear the face of the surrounding brick.
Keeping the bond pattern
Chimney brick is laid in a pattern, most often a running bond with each brick centered over the joint below, sometimes with header courses or decorative details at the top. Replacement bricks go back into that same pattern, cut where the original was cut.
A repair that ignores the pattern stands out, and it can weaken the way the courses lock together. In Elder Springs, the new units follow the original layout so the repaired face reads as part of the whole. Our specialists point out any cut or special brick in the pattern before work starts, so it is replaced in kind.
What to watch after the repair
Fresh mortar needs time to cure, and we tell you when the fireplace can be used again and whether anything should stay dry in the meantime. After that, watch the repaired faces over the next few rainy periods.
A white bloom that keeps coming back, new flakes on the roof or a stain indoors are worth reporting. They can point to another water entry that deserves a look. Our workmanship warranty covers the replacement, and our 100% satisfaction guarantee stands behind the visit. Our specialists are a phone call away if anything changes after the repair.
