# Masonry Repair Guide for Older Brick and Brownstone Homes in Newark

> How older brick and brownstone walls in Newark are built, why they fail, which repairs fit, and how permits, historic review and NJ contracts work.

URL: https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/older-brick-home-masonry-guide/

Older brick and brownstone walls last when water can leave them, the mortar stays softer than the brick or stone it holds, and problems are fixed at their cause rather than patched at the face. This masonry repair guide for older brick homes explains how those walls are built, why Newark weather wears them, and how to sort a small repair from a rebuild.

[True Course Masonry Newark](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/) repoints brick, repairs brownstone, chimneys, stoops and lintels, and rebuilds failed wall sections across Newark and Essex County, with the work fulfilled by licensed and insured contractors. The business takes masonry jobs of every size, including small repairs. This guide is written so you can read your own wall first; the [masonry repair services](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/masonry-repair/) page and the narrower guides linked below take each topic further.

**Key takeaways**

- Many older brick houses have solid walls several bricks thick that absorb rain and dry outward; veneer walls drain water through a cavity instead. Repairs that ignore the difference often fail.
- Brownstone is a layered sandstone. Stone set with its layers on edge, parallel to the wall face, tends to peel in sheets.
- Repair mortar should be weaker and more breathable than old brick or stone. Hard cement mortar pushes water and stress into the masonry itself.
- NOAA normals put Newark at about 80 nights a year at or below freezing and 46.6 inches of precipitation, so wet masonry freezes often.
- A symptom is a clue, not a diagnosis. Bulges, leans, offset cracks and loose masonry overhead need an evaluation before anyone prices a fix.
- New Jersey home improvement contractors register with the state, and contracts over $500 must be written, with a three-business-day cancellation right.

## How older Newark masonry is built

A crack or damp patch means little until you know what kind of wall it is in. U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates for 2020 to 2024 count about 23.7 percent of Newark's housing units as built in 1939 or earlier and 42.9 percent before 1960. Census data does not record wall materials, and many Newark houses are wood frame, so age tells you when a house was built, not what its walls are.

### Solid multi-wythe walls

A wythe is one vertical layer of masonry. A solid wall, or mass wall, is two or more wythes laid tight together, often with the inner wythe carrying floor and roof loads. Header courses tie the wythes: rows where bricks are turned so their ends face out and their length reaches into the wythe behind. In common bond a header row typically appears every five to seven courses; Flemish bond alternates a header and a stretcher in every course.

A solid wall has no air space and no flashing. It handles rain by mass: brick and soft mortar soak up water in a storm, hold it in the outer few inches and dry back out when the weather clears. Anything that slows drying, such as a dense coating or hard cement repointing, sets up freeze and salt damage. When repairs open a solid wall, it also matters whether the inner wythe is loadbearing, because taking brick out of a loadbearing wall is a structural decision.

### Solid walls vs cavity walls

A cavity wall separates the outer wythe from a backup wall with an air space and metal ties; brick veneer is one wythe tied to a wood or block backup that carries the building. The outer brick is expected to let some rain through. That water runs down the back of the brick to through-wall flashing at the base and over openings, then leaves through weeps: small open head joints or vents along the bottom course.

The drainage cavity only works while it stays open. Mortar droppings bridging the cavity, flashing that was skipped or has rusted out, and weeps filled with mortar all trap water against the backup and the ties. That is why weeps must never be plugged, and why a veneer leak often traces to a flashing detail rather than the brick face.

From outside, the bond is the first clue. Header courses usually mean a solid wall. Only stretchers in running bond suggests veneer or a cavity wall, though some solid walls used hidden headers, so the pattern is not proof. Wall thickness at a window jamb and weeps at the bottom course help settle it. No published data counts how many Newark houses are solid masonry and how many are veneer, so nothing should be assumed until someone looks. The [brick repair service](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/brick-repair/) page explains how a first look sorts these assemblies.

### Block, stone and mixed walls

Concrete masonry units (CMU, or cinder block) show up as foundations, additions and backup behind brick. Block shrinks as it dries while fired clay brick slowly grows with moisture, so they use different movement joints: control joints in block, expansion joints in brick. Neither should be filled with hard mortar. See [block wall repair](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/block-wall-repair/) for CMU. Stone appears as foundations, sills, lintels, trim and whole facades; the North Broad Street Historic District includes a block of rowhouses from about 1890 to 1893 dressed in limestone.

## Brownstone in Newark: a local stone with local problems

Brownstone is a red-brown arkosic sandstone of the Passaic Formation, the rock of the Newark Basin. The Newark Public Library's Knowing Newark history records quarrying in Newark from about 1700; as late as 1881, three operations near Bloomfield Avenue were cutting it for buildings as far off as Albany and New Haven, and Old First Church was built of it. The NJ Geological Survey circular New Jersey Brownstone (2012) calls the Belleville quarries near Newark the most productive source of brownstone-front stone in the country. Homes in [Belleville](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/service-areas/belleville/) and [Bloomfield](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/service-areas/bloomfield/) sit near where much of it was cut.

### Why brownstone delaminates

Sandstone forms in layers called bedding planes. It is strongest when set the way it lay in the quarry, with the layers horizontal. Brownstone fronts were often cut as thin facing slabs and set face-bedded, with the layers standing vertically, parallel to the wall face. Water then soaks in along the layers, salts crystallize between them and ice pries them apart, so the face peels away in sheets while the stone behind stays sound. A cement-rich patch or joint that is harder and less porous than the stone makes it worse, because water then leaves through the stone around it.

### Substitute stone and repair mortar

Brownstone has not been commercially quarried in Newark or Belleville for more than a century. Repairs usually take one of three routes: replacement sandstone from another quarry chosen for color, grain and porosity; salvaged brownstone where it can be found; or a patching mortar formulated for sandstone, built up in layers and tinted to match. Small defects can be cut out and filled with a stone insert called a dutchman. The right route depends on damage depth, bedding and whether a historic commission will review the work. The [brownstone repair and matching guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/brownstone-repair-and-matching/) and the [stone and brownstone repair service](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/stone-masonry-repair/) page go deeper.

## Mortar then and now: lime, portland and compatibility

Mortar bonds units, carries load, sheds water, lets vapor move and takes up small movements. In an older wall it is meant to be the weaker, more breathable part, so stress and moisture pass through the joint and the joint wears out, not the brick. Joints can be repointed. Brick faces cannot be grown back.

Older mortars were mostly lime and sand. Lime mortar hardens slowly by absorbing carbon dioxide, stays somewhat flexible and passes water vapor easily. Portland cement mortar, in wide use from around the turn of the twentieth century, sets by reaction with water and is much harder and far less permeable. Modern mortars come in Types M, S, N and O, and no letter is right for a wall without context. Type S describes a property range, not a stamp of approval for structural or historic work.

### Why hard mortar damages soft brick

Many older bricks are softer and more absorbent than modern brick. Repoint them with dense cement mortar and the water that used to evaporate through the joints has to leave through the brick faces. Salts deposit just under the surface, freezing works on the wettest material, and brick edges break away while the hard joints stand proud. Homeowners report a telling version on rowhouses: spalling on one house while the neighbors' walls of the same brick are fine. A difference in past repointing or cleaning is one of the first things to check.

The National Park Service's Preservation Brief 2, Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings, sets the rule: repointing mortar should match the original in appearance, be softer and more permeable than the masonry units, and be no harder than the original mortar. It calls for removing old mortar to about two to two and a half times the joint width so the new mortar has enough body to bond, which is why proper repointing is never a skim over the old joint. The [lime mortar vs portland cement guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/lime-mortar-vs-portland-cement/) covers mix choices, [brick pointing and tuckpointing](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/brick-pointing/) describes the work, the [tuckpointing vs repointing guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/tuckpointing-vs-repointing/) sorts out the terms and [matching mortar and brick](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/matching-mortar-and-brick/) covers color and texture.

## Newark winters and saturated brick

Masonry damage here is mostly a water problem that cold amplifies. NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the Newark Liberty International Airport station show 79.9 days a year with a low at or below 32°F but only 14.5 days with a high below freezing. The difference, roughly 65 days, is a proxy for days that cross freezing, not a measured freeze-thaw count, but it shows how often a wet wall can freeze at night and thaw by afternoon. The median last spring freeze is around April 2 and the first fall freeze around November 10. The station also averages 46.6 inches of precipitation, with 76.3 days of a tenth of an inch or more, and 31.5 inches of snow.

### How freeze-thaw breaks masonry

Water expands by about 9 percent as it freezes. Dry brick has room for that in its pores; saturated brick does not, so the pressure cracks soft brick faces, brownstone layers, crowns, treads and already cracked mortar. Damage concentrates where water collects: under a leaking gutter, below a failed coping, at grade where splashback keeps brick wet, and on sills, copings, crowns and steps. The [spalling brick guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/why-brick-spalls/) walks through it.

Freeze dates also shape scheduling, because mortar needs time above freezing to cure. The [cold weather masonry guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/masonry-work-in-cold-weather/) and the post on [pointing brick before the first freeze](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/blog/point-brick-before-the-first-freeze/) cover timing and protection.

### Salt from deicing and floodwater

Dissolved salts move into masonry with water and crystallize as it dries. At the surface that shows as efflorescence; inside the pores, as subflorescence, it can break the face off brick and stone. New Jersey Department of Transportation reports put state-highway salt use between about 82,000 and 390,000 tons a winter from 2017 to 2023. Those are statewide highway figures, with no Newark street figures found, but the mechanism is the same on any salted stoop or splashed sidewalk-level wall. In the [Ironbound](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/service-areas/ironbound/), Superstorm Sandy in 2012 soaked homes with brackish Passaic River water up to the first-floor windows, and parts of the East Ward still flood when heavy rain meets high tide. Salt from a soaking like that can keep surfacing for years.

## Reading the symptoms on an older wall

Each symptom below can come from more than one cause. The useful question is what to check next. The [masonry damage assessment](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/tools/masonry-assessment/) tool asks the same questions in order.

### Open, soft or recessed mortar joints

Recessed, sandy, cracked or missing joints let water in deeper and faster. Spread across a weather-facing wall with sound brick, that usually points to age and exposure, and planned repointing makes sense. Concentrated in one area, it usually has a water source above it, such as a gutter, coping or sill, and repointing without fixing that repeats the job. The [when to repoint brick guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/when-to-repoint-brick/) covers depth and extent.

### Spalling and face loss

A face that pops off, flakes or crumbles is responding to moisture plus something else: freezing, salt, hard mortar, a coating that traps water or a weak batch of brick. Scattered spalling may only need those units replaced. Spalling that follows a hard cement repointing, or clusters under a coating, says the earlier repair is part of the problem.

### Efflorescence

White powdery deposits are salts left as water evaporates. Efflorescence proves water is moving through the masonry and a salt source exists. It is a reason to find the water path, not on its own a sign of structural failure. See the [efflorescence guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/efflorescence-on-brick/).

### Stair-step cracks

A crack stepping along the joints shows that part of the wall moved relative to another. Settlement is one possible cause; so are thermal and moisture movement, a rusting lintel and long brick runs with no expansion joint. It does not by itself mean the foundation is failing. What matters is whether it is wider at one end, whether the bricks on each side are offset, whether it has grown and whether nearby openings have racked. The [stair-step cracks guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/stair-step-cracks-in-brick/) covers those checks; structural foundation repair is a separate trade.

### Cracks above openings and rusting lintels

When cracks start at the corners of a window or door and climb, or brick over an opening has dropped or lifted, look at the lintel. Older brick houses carry brick over openings on steel angles, brick arches or, in some older work, wood. Rust occupies several times the volume of the steel it replaces, so a corroding lintel jacks the brick above it upward and cracks the joints at its ends. Patching the cracks hides the problem; the fix is often removing the brick above, replacing or treating the steel, adding flashing and rebuilding. The [cracks above windows guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/cracks-above-windows-brick/) and [steel lintel replacement](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/lintel-replacement/) explain when cleaning and painting the steel is enough.

### Bulging or leaning walls

A section that bows outward, or a wall out of plumb, can mean broken headers between wythes, rusted ties in a cavity wall, lost connection to the floor framing or movement below. This is a red-flag condition, and repointing will not pull a bulge back in. The [bulging brick wall guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/bulging-brick-wall/) covers what an evaluation looks for.

### Chimney tops, parapets and stoops

Chimneys and parapets are exposed on every side, so they get wetter and freeze harder. Crumbling joints near the top, a cracked crown, a lean or brick shedding onto the roof are common signs, and a leaning or loose chimney is a falling hazard that needs more than mortar. Chimney leaks often come from flashing rather than masonry, as the [chimney leak guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/chimney-leak-masonry-or-flashing/) explains. [Chimney repair](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/chimney-repair/) covers the masonry; sweeping, flue liners and fire-safety inspections are not offered. Parapets and copings are covered under [parapet wall repair](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/parapet-repair/).

Brick and brownstone stoops take water on their treads and salt in winter. Loose treads, open joints, a tilt and a railing loose in its post holes are the usual signs. A stoop that has rotated or sunk has a support problem that repointing cannot fix; see [stoop and brick step repair](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/stoop-repair/).

### When to call an engineer

Bring in a structural engineer before a repair scope is set when a wall is leaning or clearly bowed, a crack shows offset or keeps growing, masonry is loose overhead, a loadbearing wall has lost section or a chimney leans. The [engineer or mason guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/when-a-masonry-crack-needs-an-engineer/) walks through that split. Meanwhile, keep people away from the area below loose masonry and do not climb, push or probe it.

## Where the water gets in

Brick is not waterproof. Most masonry problems trace back to water arriving faster than the wall can shed or dry it.

- **Copings and caps.** A coping needs slope, an overhang with a drip and tight or flashed joints. A cracked or flat cap feeds water into the core of the wall.
- **Chimney crowns.** A cracked, thin or flush crown sends water into the top of the stack; see the [chimney crown cracks guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/chimney-crown-cracks/).
- **Flashing.** Through-wall flashing in cavity walls, and step and counter flashing where roofs meet walls and chimneys, carries water out. Missing or rusted flashing lands it inside the wall.
- **Sills and openings.** A sill that slopes back, has no drip or has open joints sends water into the wall below the window.
- **Gutters and downspouts.** A clogged gutter or a downspout discharging against a wall concentrates a large share of a roof's runoff on a few square feet of brick.
- **Weeps.** Where a house has veneer or cavity walls, weeps at the bottom course and over openings let the cavity drain. They must stay open.
- **Grade and splashback.** Soil or paving sloped toward the house, or rain bouncing off hard surfaces, keeps the lowest courses wet. On low ground in the east of the city, much of it former marshland, ground moisture can also wick into old masonry.

### Why sealers rarely fix leaks

A clear sealer treats only the brick face, while most leaks enter at copings, flashing, sills, roof intersections and open joints. On a solid older wall, a film-forming coating also slows the outward drying the wall relies on, trapping water and salt behind the face. Breathable water repellents have uses after the leak path is fixed, but sealing does not stop leaks on its own and is not a default for old brick. The [should you seal brick guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/should-you-seal-brick/) explains when a repellent makes sense.

## Repair, restoration or rebuild

Scope runs from least to most invasive, set by what is happening around the damage.

**Localized repair** fits when damage is isolated, the surrounding units are sound, the water source can be fixed in the same area, the wall is still in line and plumb, and replacement units can be matched reasonably.

**Broader repointing** fits when joint loss is widespread, spot repairs would leave large areas of failing mortar, or mortar is consistently recessed or loose across whole elevations.

**Partial dismantling and rebuild** fits when units are displaced, a section bulges, ties or lintels can only be reached by taking brick down, hidden flashing needs replacing, or earlier repairs have damaged large areas. A good rebuild documents coursing and bond, fixes the cause and relays with compatible mortar.

**Full reconstruction** fits when deterioration is extensive, movement is severe or active, support conditions require it, most units cannot be reused or the original assembly was defective. Chimneys reach this point most often; see the [chimney rebuild or repoint guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/chimney-rebuild-or-repoint/) and [chimney rebuilding](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/chimney-rebuild/).

### Restoration vs reconstruction

Restoration keeps as much original material as possible and repairs it to match: careful joint removal, lime-rich mortar where analysis supports it, selective unit replacement, gentle cleaning and stone patching or dutchman repairs. Reconstruction takes a failed section down and builds it again, reusing sound original units where they come out intact. Reconstruction is the answer when the wall cannot stay up or stay dry without it; in a historic district it may need approval of materials and methods. The [historic masonry restoration](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/historic-masonry-restoration/) page explains how a restoration scope is set.

> A cosmetic patch does not stabilize movement. If a crack has offset, a lintel is rusting or a wall is out of plane, the scope has to address the cause or the patch will crack again.

## Permits and historic districts in Newark

New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code, N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.14, makes it unlawful to construct, repair, renovate, alter, reconstruct or demolish a structure without first obtaining the required permit, with three exceptions: ordinary maintenance, minor work and emergency work.

- **Ordinary maintenance** (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.7) needs no permit or notice but excludes anything affecting structural or fire safety. Its list does not name repointing or masonry repair. It does include repairing part of a stoop that does not support a roof, with identical or closely similar materials in the same place.
- **Minor work** (N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.17A) still needs a permit, but work can start on notice. It includes building or fully replacing a stoop that does not support a roof, and renovation in a one- or two-family home where no primary structural members are altered. The application follows within five business days, and the work is inspected.
- **Chimney rebuilds** are reconstruction affecting structural and fire safety, so a construction permit is the default.
- **Scaffolding over a public sidewalk** may require bridging designed by a design professional under N.J.A.C. 5:23-2.34.

Because the maintenance list leaves masonry out, check with the Newark construction office about your specific job. Newark's fee ordinance sets building subcode fees for alterations at $28 per $1,000 of estimated cost up to $50,000, with a $58 minimum, and the state adds $1.90 per $1,000 under N.J.A.C. 5:23-4.19; treat any figure built from those rates as an estimate. The post on [New Jersey's 2024 building codes](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/blog/new-jersey-adopts-2024-building-codes/) covers the code change that took effect August 17, 2026. The [Newark masonry permits guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/masonry-permits-newark/) goes job by job.

### Historic review in Newark and nearby towns

Newark's Landmarks and Historic Preservation Regulations, Chapter 41:10 of the city code adopted in November 2023, have the Newark Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission issue Certificates of Appropriateness for work in historic districts and on landmarks; the Historic Preservation Officer can issue a Certificate of No Effect for work judged harmless. Street-facing work in a historic district can need Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission review, and which routine masonry repairs are exempt has not been confirmed, so ask before work starts. Districts include [Forest Hill](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/service-areas/forest-hill/), James Street Commons and North Broad Street.

Neighboring towns run their own commissions. In [Glen Ridge](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/service-areas/glen-ridge/), where about 81 percent of housing units were built before 1940, exterior changes that need a building permit and can be seen from any street go before the Historic Preservation Commission, whose design guidelines include a masonry chapter. [Montclair](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/service-areas/montclair/) issues Certificates of Appropriateness for exterior alterations to landmarks and in local districts, exempting interior work, changes not visible from a public way and like-for-like repairs that leave the exterior unchanged. [Maplewood](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/service-areas/maplewood/) has had a Historic Preservation Commission since 2001.

## Hiring a masonry contractor in New Jersey

New Jersey has no state mason license. Home improvement businesses register with the Division of Consumer Affairs as Home Improvement Contractors under the Contractor Registration Act, N.J.S.A. 56:8-136 et seq., and must carry commercial general liability insurance of at least $500,000 per occurrence. A newer law, P.L.2023 c.237, creates individual licensing, but registration remains the working credential while the new board finishes its rules.

Under N.J.S.A. 56:8-151, every home improvement contract over $500, and every change to it, must be written and signed. It must show the contractor's legal name, business address and registration number, include a copy of the insurance certificate with the insurer's phone number, and state the total price including finance charges. You can cancel before midnight of the third business day after receiving your copy, and the contract must say so conspicuously.

For older masonry, the contract should also say:

- the wall or feature and how much of it is in scope
- joint depth, the mortar to be used and why
- how replacement brick or stone will be matched, and whether a sample panel comes first
- how hidden conditions such as rusted lintels will be priced and approved
- who handles the permit, historic review, protection and grinding dust

The [hiring guide for New Jersey masonry contractors](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/hiring-a-masonry-contractor-nj/) expands on each point, and the [estimate comparison checklist](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/resources/) lines up competing quotes. If a bid includes concrete steps, driveways or patios, the [masonry vs concrete contractor guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/masonry-vs-concrete-contractor/) explains where one trade ends and the other begins.

## What drives the cost of older masonry work

Price follows quantity (joint area, unit count, lineal feet of coping) and complexity separately. Complexity covers how hard old mortar is to remove without chipping soft brick, joint depth, how hard the brick or stone is to match, height and scaffolding, roof access, neighbors close by, protection, permits and historic review, disposal and what turns up once the wall is open. In the Ironbound, where homes sit very close together, access alone can change staging.

These are budgeting ranges for Newark-area projects drawn from cost guides, not quotes or rates for this business.

| Work | Budgeting range | Source and basis |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Brick repointing | about $3 to $20 per sq ft; around $25 or more on tall walls | National guides (HomeGuide, Fixr) |
| Brick replacement, small jobs | about $211 to $276 for one brick; about $530 to $660 for roughly 10 | Homewyse estimator, Newark ZIP 07102 |
| Brick wall repair | about $10 to $30 per sq ft; many jobs $500 to $2,500 | National guides (HomeGuide, Fixr) |
| Brick veneer repair | about $10 to $24 per sq ft, before flashing or tie work | National guides (HomeGuide, Fixr) |
| Stone repointing | about $5 to $25 per sq ft | National guides (HomeGuide, Fixr) |
| Chimney repointing | about $500 to $2,500 for a typical stack | National guides (HomeGuide, Fixr) |
| Chimney crown replacement | about $1,000 to $3,000 | National guides (HomeGuide, Fixr) |

Small brick jobs cost more per brick because setup and minimum labor dominate; stone repointing costs more than brick because joints are irregular and deeper. Chimney rebuilds have no published range here: cost depends on how far down the stack comes, height and roof pitch, staging, the number of flues, flashing material and whether original brick can be reused.

The cost guides break each category down: [masonry repair cost in Newark](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/masonry-repair-cost-newark/), [brick pointing cost](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/brick-pointing-cost/), [brick repair cost](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/brick-repair-cost/), [chimney repair cost](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/chimney-repair-cost/) and [stoop repair cost](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/stoop-repair-cost/). The [masonry cost estimator](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/tools/masonry-cost-estimator/) builds a rough range from your measurements. For funding, Newark adopted a facade improvement loan-forgiveness program in 2023; its current funding status could not be verified, so ask the city before planning around it.

## Living with an old masonry house

Much masonry damage starts small, as an open joint or a dripping gutter, and grows over several winters. A few habits slow it down.

### Seasonal checks from the ground

In spring after the last freeze and in fall before the first, walk the house with a phone camera. Look at the chimney top and crown, parapets and copings, brick below gutter seams and downspouts, sills and the brick above windows, stoop treads and the bottom few courses. Photograph the same spots from the same places each time so changes show. Keep gutters clear, send downspouts away from the wall and keep soil below the bottom of the brick.

### What not to do

- **Do not pressure wash at high pressure.** It drives water into the wall and strips soft brick and lime joints. The [cleaning brick without damage guide](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/guide/cleaning-brick-without-damage/) starts with the mildest method that works.
- **Do not seal by default.** A sealer on an older solid wall can trap water and salt. Fix the leak path first.
- **Do not patch soft brick with cement.** Bagged mixes are usually harder than old brick and move the damage into it.
- **Do not fill movement joints or weeps with mortar.** Expansion joints, control joints and weeps are there on purpose.
- **Do not climb to, push on or probe loose masonry.** Keep people out from under it until it has been evaluated.

A first look at an older wall checks the wall type, the condition of joints and units, where water reaches the masonry, signs of movement, earlier repairs and access. When you are ready, describe what you see on the [contact page](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/contact/), or start from [masonry repair](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/masonry-repair/). Mixed-use buildings fall under [commercial masonry repair](https://truecoursemasonrynewark.com/commercial-masonry-repair/).

## Frequently asked questions

### How can I tell whether my older brick house is solid masonry or brick veneer?

Look at the bond pattern first. Rows of brick ends (headers) every few courses usually mean the brick wythes are tied to each other through the wall, which points to solid masonry. A wall of only long faces (running bond) suggests veneer or a cavity wall, but some solid walls hide their headers, so the pattern is a clue, not proof. Wall thickness at a door or window opening, the age of the house and what shows in the basement or attic help settle it. The answer matters because the two walls handle water differently and need different repairs.

### Why does a small brick or brownstone repair sometimes grow once the wall is opened?

Because the face only shows the last step of the damage. Taking out a few loose bricks or a delaminated stone can expose a rusted lintel, missing flashing, failed ties, soft backup masonry or a void behind the face, and none of those can be seen from the sidewalk. A sound estimate names what is assumed about the hidden conditions and says how changes will be priced and approved in writing if the opening shows something different.

### What should I check on an older brick house each year, and what should I leave alone?

From the ground or a window, look at the chimney top, parapets and copings, the joints under gutters and downspouts, the stoop treads and the brick right above windows. Note open joints, fresh rust stains, new cracks, white salt deposits and any brick or stone face that has dropped. Photograph the same spots each spring and fall. Leave alone anything loose or leaning: do not climb to it, push on it or probe it.