Brick Repointing and Masonry Repair in the Outaouais
Masonry repair for homes in Gatineau, Cantley and the rest of the Outaouais: we repoint worn mortar joints, replace spalled bricks and fix cracks. Tell us what you see on your wall and we will come and look at it before quoting.
RBQ 5867-6305-01
What Brick Repointing Is, and Why Joints Wear Out First
On a brick wall, the mortar joints are meant to be the weak point. They take up small movements in the wall and let moisture escape, which protects the bricks. Over the years, rain and freeze-thaw cycles wash the mortar out and the joints recede. Once they do, water gets into the wall more easily.
Repointing restores the wall without taking the bricks out. The worn mortar is raked out to a sound depth, the joints are cleaned, then packed with fresh mortar and tooled to shed water. The new mortar has to suit the existing brick, both in strength and in colour.
A house rarely wears evenly. Sections under a roof edge, close to the ground or at corners usually go first, so a repair can often target those areas instead of the whole wall. The site visit tells us which case you are in.
Signs Your Brick Wall Needs Repair
Walk around the house and look at the walls up close. Any of these is a reason to have the masonry checked:
- Mortar joints that sit back from the face of the brick
- Mortar that turns sandy or crumbles when you scratch it
- Brick faces that flake, chip or pop off
- Stair-step cracks running through the mortar joints
- Gaps around windows, doors or where two walls meet
- A brick wall that bulges or leans away from the house
None of these fix themselves. Open joints and cracks let water in, and the damage spreads from one winter to the next.
When Repointing Is Not Enough
Fresh mortar will not save a brick whose face has spalled or that is cracked through. In that case we take the damaged unit out, set a brick that matches the wall and repoint the joints around it.
Cracks in brick, stone, concrete block or parging get the same approach: we find what caused the crack before repairing it, otherwise it comes back in the same spot. When a brick wall is pulling away from the house, we install masonry ties to hold it, then repair the bricks and joints once the wall is secured.
For chimneys, see our chimney tuckpointing and repair page. For new brick or stone work, see our masonry services and stone installation pages. For cracked or flaking parging on a foundation, see our foundation parging page. In French: réparation de maçonnerie et rejointoiement.
Before and After: a Stone Stair Wall
On this front step, the end of the stone side wall had come apart and stones had fallen off. The wall was rebuilt and its cap set back in place.
How a Repair Job Goes
- 01
Site visit
We look at the joints, the bricks and how water runs down the wall to understand what wore the masonry out.
- 02
Quote
We list which sections need repointing or new bricks and send you a written quote before any work starts.
- 03
Raking out the joints
Worn mortar is removed from the joints without damaging the brick edges. Spalled bricks are taken out.
- 04
Repointing and brick replacement
Joints are packed with a compatible mortar and tooled. Matching bricks go in where units were removed.
- 05
Cleanup
The wall and the work area are cleaned, and we walk through the result with you.
If raking out a joint shows a brick in worse shape than expected, we show you before going any further.
A Cantley Mason for Gatineau and the Outaouais
Maçonnerie J. Légaré is based in Cantley and repairs masonry on homes in Gatineau, Cantley and the rest of the Outaouais. The company holds licence RBQ 5867-6305-01 and works on residential masonry only. The person who inspects your wall is the one who repairs it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Repointing
What is brick repointing?
Repointing means raking out the worn mortar between bricks or stones and replacing it with fresh mortar. The bricks stay in place. It is the most common repair on a brick wall whose joints have eroded over the years.
Does the whole wall need to be repointed?
Not always. Often only the most exposed sections have worn out: under a roof edge, near the ground, at corners. Other walls need a full repointing. We decide during the site visit, after checking the joints across the whole wall.
Why does the type of mortar matter?
A mortar that is harder than the existing brick can damage it: the brick cracks instead of the joint. We pick a mortar that is compatible with the masonry in place, in strength and in colour, so the repair lasts and blends in.
When should a brick be replaced instead of repointed?
When the face of the brick has spalled or the unit is cracked through, new mortar around it will not fix it. We remove the damaged brick, set a matching one, and repoint the joints around it.
Which areas do you serve?
We are based in Cantley and work on homes in Gatineau, Cantley and the rest of the Outaouais. Add the job address to the quote form and we will confirm whether it is in our service area before booking a visit.
Have Your Wall Assessed
Recessed joints, flaking bricks or a crack that keeps growing: describe what you see in the quote form or call 819 592-7335. We book a visit and send you a quote that describes the repair.