A crucial component of Brooklyn’s identity is brick buildings, which include such elements as old brownstones and modern residential and commercial buildings. With time, such variables as weather and age may make the mortar joints that cement the bricks weak. Brick pointing is crucial in regaining the strength and ensuring your walls are not damaged by water and maintaining beauty of your property even after many years. Considering the difficult weather conditions in Brooklyn, brick pointing is not only the way to maintain the building, it is the investment into the safety, image, and durability of your building.

Our reason at White Marble Construction Inc. is to not only be a contractor but we have a license to maintain the Brooklyn community in masonry preservation. Our services are very technical and they are in line with all the relevant codes as far as the pointing of the brick is concerned. Our objective is not just to restore your building in structural stability, but also to maintain historical and aesthetic worth of your building.

1. The NYC Climate is in critical need of Repointing.

The mortar that holds the bricks together is designed to be sacrificial; it is softer and more porous than the bricks. Over time, this mortar deteriorates due to water exposure, freeze-thaw cycles, and acid rain.The NYC Climate requires urgent repointing.

• Loose Mortar Joints: The mortar is unable to hold the wall together.
• Slack Mortar Joints: The mortar is unable to support the wall.
• Accelerated Water Damage: Open joints allow water to seep in. As the water freezes, it expands and may peel off the brick face (spalling). This is capable of ruining the wall to the tune of brick replacement.
• Structural Compromise: Mortar supports the weight of the wall. Bad joints may cause the wall to bow or shift with time.
• Thermal and Energy Loss: The gaps in the mortar reduce the insulation of the wall, leading to higher heating and cooling expenses.
• Facade Violation Risk: The visibly deteriorated mortar may lead to violations by the NYC Department of Buildings, particularly under the Facade Inspection Safety Program (FISP/Local Law 11/98), which applies to large building projects which can create holes and channels in the mortar.

1. Technical Accuracy of our Repointing Process.

Repointing is a very technical art which requires accuracy throughout its execution. When repoint is done badly, it can do more damage than the deterioration. We take meticulous structure in our process so that maximum durability and historical compatibility would be achieved.

1. Mortar Analysis and Matching (The Crucial Step)

The most frequent error of the history Brooklyn buildings repointing is the use of modern mortar, which is made of hard Portland cement. This is a severe error:

• Incompatibility: Historic bricks, as a rule typical bricks are not as strong as modern bricks. The ancient lime mortar was more adaptable, it was able to move across and adapt with time.
• Enclosed Retention: Cement mortar is tough and thus it closes the holes and prevents the soft bricks to ooze the moisture. This has the ability to retain water in the bricks. When the water freezes with the cold then the pressure may crack the soft brick face, but leaves the mortar fine.
• Our Solution: The first step we take is to examine the old mortar to determine its mix, strength and color. We then have a fresh mortar, most often a Type N mix, or a special lime sand mixture, which is a close match to the historic bricks. The new mortar is a sacrificial layer which safeguards the old brick.

2. Precise Joint Preparation

Depth of removal matters. The old mortar is cut to a standard depth, normally 2 to 2.5 times the width of the joint, approximately 3/4 to 1 inch. Special wheels or tools that do not make cracks or chips in adjacent bricks should be used. Clean the joints with a clean cut after cutting, dust, and debris.

3. Application and Curing

We wet the joints before placing in the new mortar. This prevents the brick absorbing water of the mortar and consequently becoming weaker. We apply new mortar in thin layers and ensure that it is forced into the joint leaving no air pockets and the joint is occupied.

We bend the joint next, so as to resemble the old one, which is generally a little hollow or outworn. That helps water run-off.

III. White Marble Construction Inc. Brooklyn Dedication.

We are a locally licensed and insured general contractor in NYC, where Brooklyn has its unique aesthetic and regulatory environment.

Why Choose White Marble Construction Inc.?

Licensing and Code Compliance: We are appropriately licensed with knowledge of rules of the NYC Building Department and the Landmark Preservation Commission.

We have the experience in old lime mortar and new cement mortar. This helps to maintain the mortar with the building and shield old bricks against damage.

Complete Facade Health: We will give a complete plan to restore and seal your entire facade including the lintels.

Repointing of this quality could be done by a professional such as White Marble Construction Inc. which has a long-lasting nature and prevents weathering of your building. Call us now to get your discount and Offer.