Our Process

How we repair spalled brick in Whites Landing

Tooling the joints to match the original

The shape of a mortar joint affects both appearance and how water runs off the wall. The same brick industry guidance advises tooling the new joints when the mortar is thumbprint hard, so they match the original profile.

We look at the existing joints first, whether they are concave, flush or another shape, and tool the new ones to the same profile. A mismatched joint catches the eye long before a slightly different brick does. Our specialists match the tool to the joint width as well as the shape, so the new lines sit at the same depth as the old ones.

Coatings that trap moisture

Some sealers form a film on the brick surface. BIA Technical Note 6A warns that film-forming coatings slow the evaporation of water inside masonry and can lead to clouding and spalling when the moisture source is not addressed. Clouding under the film is often the first visible sign.

If a sealer was applied to your chimney in the past and the faces are now breaking, the coating may be part of the cause. Our specialists look for it during the free inspection and explain what the replacement bricks need so they are not sealed into the same problem.

How new brick settles in over time

New brick looks crisp next to units that have weathered for years. Even a close match in size and color can read slightly brighter at first, and the new joints will look fresh until they weather too. That contrast softens as rain and sun work on the new material.

We set clear expectations for your Whites Landing home before work starts: what the repair will look like on day one and what changes as it weathers. Where appearance matters most, such as the street-facing side, we choose the closest brick we can find for that face.

Brushing and cleanup at the end of the job

Once the joints are tooled, excess mortar and dust are brushed from the face. BIA Technical Note 20 recommends a medium-soft bristle or fiber brush and advises against steel bristles, which can leave particles that rust and stain the brick.

Our crew also clears fragments from the roof and gutters, removes the old bricks and leaves the ground below the chimney as we found it. Before we leave your Whites Landing home, we walk you through the repaired faces. Any bricks we reused are accounted for, and spare matched units can be left with you for future repairs if you want them.