Trade #bricks
Bricks Tuckpointed walls that look like nothing happened.
Pre-1940 façades read as original or read as patched — there's nothing in between. We tool joints to match the building, not to match a default mortar bag.
BBricksTrade specialty
What we build
Bricks — what's included
New brick installation, repointing, chimney rebuilds, and façade restoration. We match historic mortar joints by tooled profile and color — that's how a tuckpointed wall reads as original instead of patched.
- Full-depth and partial-depth tuckpointing
- Mortar color and joint-profile matching on pre-1940 façades
- Lintel repair and replacement
- Brick replacement for spalled or salvaged courses
Historic-district approvals are the homeowner's responsibility — we'll prepare scope drawings to attach to the application.
How we build it
Bricks — start to finish
The four stages we run on every bricks job. Same workflow whether it's a small fix or a full install.
1
Survey the façade
We photograph at scale and tap-test every brick face within reach. Spalled brick, cracked lintels, and joints that have lost more than 1/4 inch of mortar all get marked.
2
Match mortar and joint
We pull a joint sample, cross-check color in sunlight, and mix a small test patch on the building. Tooled to match the original profile — concave, V, struck, or beaded.
3
Rake, repoint, and replace
Failed joints raked to 3/4 inch depth (not deeper than 2× the joint width). New mortar pressed in two lifts. Spalled brick swapped course-by-course with salvaged or matched stock.
4
Clean and final pass
Brick face cleaned without acid wash where possible. Final walkthrough at street distance so you can see the work reads as part of the original wall.
Questions homeowners ask
About bricks work
The four things people actually want to know before they sign an estimate.
Why does mortar matching matter so much?
A wall with the wrong mortar will tell on itself from across the street. Modern Type S mortar is too hard for soft pre-1940 brick — it transfers stress to the brick face and causes spalling. The right mortar is softer than the brick around it on purpose.
Tuckpointing vs. repointing — what's the difference?
Repointing replaces failed mortar joints. Tuckpointing is a decorative technique that uses two mortar colors — a base coat plus a thin contrasting ribbon — to make joints look thinner than they are. Most jobs we do are repointing; true tuckpointing is rare and usually historic.
Do I need to repoint the whole façade?
Almost never. We spot-repoint where joints have actually failed and leave sound joints alone. Repointing sound mortar makes the wall look freshly patched. A good repoint job is invisible from twenty feet.
How long does brick repointing last?
A correctly matched repoint outlasts the surrounding wall — usually 50+ years. The failure mode isn't the new mortar; it's the original brick continuing to weather. We'll tell you which joints have another decade in them and which don't.
Where we work
Bricks work across Bergen & Passaic County
11 towns under our regular service radius from the Garfield yard. Click any town for bricks specifics in that area.
Bergen County
7 townsWithin ~25 miles of Garfield. Not on the list? Call (973) 272-5869 — we cover a wider radius for bigger jobs.
Free Estimate
Ready to talk through your bricks project?
Tell us what you're building and we'll walk the site, check the substrate and drainage, and leave you a written estimate within 24 hours. No obligation, no surprise fees.
- Written estimate within 24 hours
- 5-year written workmanship warranty
- Licensed (NJ #13VH10343500), insured, family-owned
Or call for a fast quote(973) 272-5869