Building Envelope Repairs
Brick Expansion Joints: Purpose, Placement and Repair
Understand brick expansion joint spacing, sealant and backer-rod details, maintenance, and why adding joints to historic walls needs assessment.
Understand a brick parapet wall’s masonry, coping, flashing and drainage, plus what to inspect and when repair needs structural assessment.
Nov 5, 2026
Building Envelope Repairs
Understand brick expansion joint spacing, sealant and backer-rod details, maintenance, and why adding joints to historic walls needs assessment.
Mortar And Repointing
Compare Type S and Type N mortar strengths, cement–lime mix ratios and uses—and why neither is an automatic choice for historic repointing.
Mortar And Repointing
Understand Type O mortar’s 1:2:9 mix and 350 psi strength benchmark, where it fits, and why historic brickwork needs more than a type label.
Mortar And Repointing
Choose stone veneer mortar by its job: scratch coat, bonding bed or visible joints. Learn when Type S, Type N or polymer-modified mortar fits.
Structural Masonry Repairs
Learn what a bowed masonry wall can mean, which warning signs need prompt assessment, and how wall construction changes the repair.
Heritage Masonry
Compare quicklime, hydrated lime, lime putty, NHL and blended limes. Read the labels and choose a binder compatible with existing brick or stone.
Heritage Masonry
Distinguish terracotta-colored clay bricks from architectural terra-cotta, then check suitability for walls, paving, heritage repairs and ovens.
Heritage Masonry
Distinguish marble spalling from etching and sugaring, trace moisture and anchor problems, and choose compatible repairs for historic stonework.
Heritage Masonry
Understand quicklime, hydrated lime, lime putty and NHL, with a material checker and guidance on hot mixing, historic mortar compatibility and safe handling.
Heritage Masonry
Distinguish soldier bricks from sailors and rowlocks, assess support over openings, match historic repairs, and calculate a straight course’s layout.
Heritage Masonry
Identify half- and one-third running bond, calculate brick-and-joint offsets, and match historic repairs without confusing the face pattern with structure.
Masonry Cracks
A horizontal foundation crack may signal lateral soil pressure. Compare sealing, reinforcement, anchors and rebuilding—and diagnose the cause first.
Mortar And Repointing
What masonry cement contains, how it differs from mortar cement and mortar mix, and why historic masonry requires a compatibility check.
Heritage Masonry
Diagnose cracks, moisture and failed mortar before choosing masonry repair materials, then confirm compatible work with a cured test panel on site.
Mortar And Repointing
Pointing is the visible mortar finish; repointing renews failed joints. Learn when it is needed, how mortar is matched and what a sound scope includes.
Structural Masonry Repairs
The verdict depends on wall system, reinforcement, connections, condition, site, alterations and retrofit history—not brick alone.
Brick Repair
Match crumbling mortar, spalling, rust stains and cracks to their likely cause, the first check to make, who to call, and when repointing can safely start.