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Serving Hammond, IN and surrounding areas. (219) 666-0906
Spalling bricks and crumbling mortar do not fix themselves. We assess what is wrong, replace what cannot be saved, and leave your wall sealed against Hammond winters.
Brick repair in Hammond covers everything from grinding out and replacing failed mortar joints to pulling cracked or spalled bricks and setting new ones - most jobs are completed in one to two days. Hammond homeowners deal with some of the most punishing brick conditions in Indiana: repeated freeze-thaw cycles all winter, clay-heavy soil that moves with the seasons, and lake-driven humidity that finds every gap in your masonry. When the face of a brick starts to chip or flake, or when you see white chalky deposits forming on your exterior wall, those are signs the damage has already been building for a while.
Not all brick damage is the same. If the bricks themselves are still solid but the joints are worn down, the right fix is tuckpointing rather than full brick replacement. A good mason will show you exactly which bricks, if any, need to come out and why - and a trustworthy one will not recommend replacement work that is not actually necessary.
Those white marks are called efflorescence, and they mean water is moving through your brick wall and carrying dissolved salts to the surface. In Hammond's humid, lake-influenced climate, this is a common early warning sign. It does not mean your wall is about to collapse, but it does mean moisture is getting in - and that entry point needs to be found and sealed.
Run your finger along the mortar joints on an accessible section of your wall. If the mortar feels soft, crumbles easily, or has pulled away from the brick edges, it is no longer doing its job. Hammond's freeze-thaw winters accelerate this process - a wall that looked fine two years ago can deteriorate noticeably after a harsh winter.
Horizontal cracks can mean water damage. Diagonal cracks often point to the ground shifting underneath. Given Hammond's clay-heavy soil, diagonal cracking near corners or along the lower portion of a wall is worth taking seriously. A mason can tell you whether it is cosmetic or structural - but either way, it should not be left alone.
When the face of a brick starts to peel or pop off in layers, water got inside the brick itself and froze there. This is especially common on older Hammond homes where original brick has been absorbing moisture for decades. Once a brick starts spalling, it will not stop on its own - it needs to be replaced before the damage spreads to neighboring units.
Our brick repair work starts with an honest assessment - we tell you which bricks are beyond saving and which ones are still sound, so you are not paying to replace masonry that does not need to go. For failed mortar joints, we grind out the old material to the proper depth and pack in fresh mortar matched to your existing wall, the same process as our tuckpointing service. For bricks that are cracked through, hollow-sounding when tapped, or actively spalling, we pull them out and set replacements that match as closely as possible in size, color, and texture.
If the damage has spread beyond the brick face to the underlying structure, we will tell you clearly before any work begins and recommend whether you need additional assessment. We also handle brick repair as part of larger projects - when a damaged chimney or a section of foundation wall needs attention alongside the exterior brick, we can coordinate that work so the home is addressed as a complete system. After the repair is done, the new mortar needs 24 to 48 hours to cure - we walk every homeowner through the aftercare steps before we leave.
Best for walls where the bricks are still solid but the mortar between them has cracked, recessed, or pulled away from the edges.
Right for walls with cracked-through, spalling, or hollow bricks that need to come out before the damage spreads to adjacent masonry.
Focused on chimney masonry, which degrades faster than wall brick due to heat exposure, and is a frequent source of interior water damage.
For exposed brick or block near the foundation where damage at the base of the wall is letting water into the home.
Northwest Indiana sits in a climate zone where temperatures swing above and below freezing throughout winter and early spring. Every time water trapped in a mortar joint freezes, it expands and pushes the joint wider. After enough cycles, the mortar crumbles - and Hammond homeowners often discover new damage every spring. Most homes in the city were built between the 1920s and 1960s, including the older blocks in areas like Hessville and the streets near downtown. Homeowners in Hammond and neighboring Gary share the same older housing stock and the same weather, which means the same mortar problems come up block after block every spring.
Hammond also sits on clay-heavy soil that expands when wet and contracts when dry. That seasonal ground movement puts stress on brick walls and mortar joints over time, especially at corners and near the foundation. Diagonal cracking is one of the more common patterns we see in this area, and it is often connected to soil movement rather than just weathering. The National Park Service Preservation Briefs note that using mortar harder than the original in older masonry can crack the bricks themselves - something we see firsthand on Hammond homes where previous contractors used the wrong mix.
We respond within 1 business day to set up an on-site visit. No cost for the estimate, no obligation to book. We ask a few quick questions upfront so we arrive prepared, not starting from scratch.
We walk the wall in person, check mortar depth and condition, tap bricks for hollow spots, and look for signs of water damage behind the surface. You get a clear explanation of what we found - no jargon, no pressure.
The written quote breaks down what work will be done, what materials will be used, and the total cost. If anything is unclear, ask - we explain it without making you feel like you are wasting our time.
The crew removes damaged mortar and replaces any bricks that need to go. Most jobs are done in a day. Before leaving, we clean mortar residue off the brick faces and walk you through the 24 to 48 hour curing window so the repair holds.
We respond within 1 business day. The estimate is free with no obligation. After you submit, someone from our office will call to schedule a free on-site visit - we look at the actual wall before quoting anything.
(219) 666-0906We assess the existing mortar before mixing anything new. Pre-1960 brick homes need a softer mix that flexes with seasonal movement - using modern hard mortar on older brick is one of the most common ways a repair causes new damage.
We walk every job with you before picking up a tool and again when we finish. You see exactly what we found, what we replaced, and what was left sound - no surprises on the invoice.
We do not just patch the visible surface. We trace where water is entering and seal the joint or replace the brick at the actual source - so the repair stops the moisture, not just the symptom.
We have worked on brick bungalows, two-flats, chimneys, and older commercial walls all across Hammond and the surrounding region. The Brick Industry Association's guidance on matching mortar to existing masonry is something we follow on every job - see their resources at gobrick.com.
Every one of these comes back to the same outcome: a repair that lasts through Hammond winters and does not create new problems in the process. If you want a straight answer on what your brickwork actually needs, call us or fill out the estimate form above.
When brick damage extends to the driveway or front approach, paver installation replaces cracked surfaces with durable, level hardscaping.
Learn MoreIf the bricks are still solid but the mortar between them is crumbling, tuckpointing alone seals the joints without the need to replace any masonry units.
Learn MoreEvery freeze-thaw cycle with cracked or spalled brick does more harm - call now for a free on-site estimate and a straight answer on what needs fixing.