Brick repair in Eugene, OR - mortar joints that keep water out of your walls
Crumbling joints, hairline cracks or flaking bricks on your house? We find what's letting water in and repair the brick so it holds.
- Licensed and fully insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What does brick repair in Eugene involve, and what drives the cost?
Brick repair in Eugene, OR usually means repointing, where we cut out the worn mortar between your bricks and pack in new mortar, along with replacing any bricks too damaged to save, so water stops working its way into the wall.
Most people call Stonecraft Eugene Concrete and Masonry because the mortar is crumbling, a crack has opened up or a damp spot has shown up inside, and even small cracks matter because any gap in a joint lets more water into the wall. The price turns on how many joints and bricks need work, how deep the old mortar has worn, how soft the brick is and whether we need ladders or scaffolding to reach it. The schedule turns on the size of the wall and on mild weather so the new mortar can cure. Your own figure comes from the estimate, which spells out what we'd do and why.
How can you tell your brick needs repair?
Crumbling or sandy joints
If the mortar powders when you rub it or you can see it sitting back from the brick face, it's worn out. Left alone, it lets more water into the wall every season, and wet brick breaks down faster than dry brick.
Cracks along the bricks
Hairline cracks in the mortar, or a gap opening between the brick and the mortar, usually mean old mortar or some movement in the wall. Small ones can often wait, but cracks that keep growing turn a joint repair into a brick repair.
Flaking brick faces
When the face of a brick peels or pops off, water is usually getting into the brick and pushing the surface away. Once the face is gone the brick has to be cut out and replaced, so it's worth finding the cause early.
How we handle brick repair
Before we fix any brick, I want to know what's letting water in, whether it's a gutter spilling down the wall, a missing cap or a bad run of joints, because if we skip that step the damage just comes back. If a crack isn't causing trouble yet, I'll tell you that too. When the work is worth doing, we cut the worn mortar out, take out and replace bricks that are too far gone, pack the joints with new mortar and tool them to match the rest of the wall, then clean up. On soft older brick, taking the mortar out by hand with chisels is slower but usually does the least damage, and a grinder in unskilled hands can ruin soft brick fast. The new mortar has to be the same strength as the old or weaker, because a harder mix makes the brick face flake away and that damage can't be undone, so it's the first thing I'd ask any mason you're comparing.
Brick trouble doesn't always stop at the house. If the brick border on your drive is heaving or the drive itself is breaking up, we can look at driveway pavers while we're out. A brick wall that's leaning while it holds back a slope needs retaining wall construction instead, because the soil pushing behind it is the real problem and new mortar won't fix that.
Ask for a brick repair estimate on your house
We'll reply within one business day to set a time. I come out, look at the brick and give you a free estimate that says what we'd do and why, with no obligation to go ahead.
- info@eugeneconcreteandmasonry.com
- Based in
- Eugene, OR 97401
- Hours
- Mon–Fri: 7 AM–11 PM, Sat–Sun: 6 AM–10 PM
What happens after you call about brick repair in Eugene?
Here's how a brick repair job runs with us, from your first call to the walk-through at the end, so you know who you'll deal with.
Call or send a message
Call (541) 225-4006 or use the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. Tell us which wall or chimney is giving you trouble.
I come look at the brick
I check the joints and the bricks, track down where water is getting in and ask what you want from the wall. The estimate says what we'd do and why, so you know the cost and the reasons before anything starts.
We repair it, then walk it
If you go ahead, we sort out any permit the job needs, then our masons do the repair and clean up after. Before we call it done, we walk the wall with you.
Why Eugene homeowners call Stonecraft for brick repair
I look at every job myself
We're based in Eugene, and I come out to look at the brick and write the estimate myself. Our own masons and laborers do the work and I check it as it goes, so the person who made the plan is watching it get done.
Trained on inspected commercial jobs
I learned this trade laying brick and block on commercial jobs where an inspector checked everything and shortcuts got torn out. We've been in business since 2017, and I don't see why a house deserves less care than that.
Proof of license and insurance
We're licensed and fully insured, and you're welcome to see proof of both before we start. Ask the same of anyone else you get a price from.
If your joints are crumbling or a crack has you worried, request an estimate or call (541) 225-4006 and I'll come take a look.
Brick repair, chimneys and older homes in Eugene
The City of Eugene issues building permits for work like additions, alterations and remodels, and its list names decks, retaining walls and garages but not brick repair, so that list alone doesn't settle whether your job needs a permit. If it's unclear, we check with the city before we start, not after, and if a permit is needed, we pull it and handle the inspections. Historic properties get one more check, because the city's criteria for altering them call for repairing worn historic features rather than replacing them, and anything too far gone to keep gets replaced with a match in design, color, texture and, where possible, material. That's how I'd want to treat old brick anyway.
Chimneys are the other thing I look hard at on older houses. Masonry chimneys may need to be part of an earthquake retrofit, and an unreinforced one can fall outward onto people walking by or into the house onto the people inside. We see the same old brick and tired chimneys on jobs in Springfield and Junction City, and our chimney repair page covers that work.
Questions about brick repair in Eugene
How do I know if my brick needs repointing?
Your brick likely needs repointing if the mortar is crumbling, has holes in it, shows hairline cracks, has worn back more than 1/4 inch from the brick face or has pulled away from the brick. You can check for these yourself by walking along the wall and pressing a key into a few joints. If you find them, take a few photos before you call.
Do cracks in brick mortar need to be fixed right away?
Not always. Brick veneer and cavity walls can handle a little extra moisture from minor cracks, so small cracks with no leak inside can often wait. Repair makes sense when the cracks line up with water showing up indoors and other causes, like gutters, have been ruled out, and I'll tell you which side of that line you're on.
Who can do brick repair for pay in Oregon?
Generally, a licensed contractor. The Oregon Construction Contractors Board says state law requires anyone paid for construction work that improves real property to be licensed. Beyond the license, ask about past repointing jobs, because a good bricklayer isn't always good at repointing, and you can ask a contractor to show their work on a part of the wall nobody sees.
How much does brick repair usually cost?
Across the US, brick repair usually costs about $210 to $260 per brick. That's a national figure for the work, not our price, and your own number comes from the estimate once I've seen the wall. On our side, it's satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
How long does new mortar last after repointing?
Mortar joints typically last more than 25 years, while the bricks themselves may well last over 100. On an older brick house that means planning for joint work more than once over the wall's life, as regular upkeep rather than a sign something went wrong.
What is the best time of year to repoint brick?
Spring and fall are usually best. One home services guide suggests repointing when daytime temperatures stay between 40 and 90 degrees for at least 24 to 72 hours, which it calls ideal for mortar to cure. We'll talk about timing for your wall when I come out.
Related masonry work around your yard
Driveway pavers
If your driveway is cracked or heaving next to the brick you're fixing, pavers give you a surface that can be lifted and reset in sections later.
See the service Driveway paversRetaining wall construction
A wall that holds back a slope has to handle soil and water pushing from behind, so building it right from the footing up saves rebuilding it twice.
See the service Retaining wall construction
Service areas for brick repair near Eugene
Stonecraft Eugene Concrete and Masonry is based in Eugene, Oregon, and repairs brick in the 8 cities listed here, including Cottage Grove and Veneta. These are the cities with their own page, not the only ones we work in, so if yours isn't listed, call and ask.
Eugene, OR
Send photos of your cracked brick joints
A few photos of the worst joints and the age of your house tell me what to look for before I come out, so the visit goes further.