Foundation Painting and Masonry Repointing
Mortar holds a masonry wall together. It also keeps water out. Over decades, mortar joints crack, crumble, and wash away. Repointing puts them back.
D-Bug Waterproofing repoints chimneys, foundation walls, and block walls across Western Pennsylvania. We have done this work since 1980, using our own trained crews.
What Repointing Involves
We start by cutting out the failed mortar. The joint has to be clean and deep enough for new mortar to grip. Then we pack in fresh mortar and tool the joint to match the rest of the wall.
Done right, repointing restores two things at once. The wall regains its strength. It also regains its ability to shed water instead of soaking it up.
Chimneys Fail First
Most of our repointing work is on chimneys. That is no accident. A chimney stands exposed on all four sides, above the roofline, with no shelter from wind or rain.
Water soaks into the joints. It freezes. The ice expands and opens the joint a little wider. Western Pennsylvania runs through that cycle dozens of times each winter.
Watch for these signs:
- Mortar you can scratch out with a screwdriver
- Gaps or missing sections between bricks
- Brick or mortar pieces in the gutters or on the ground
- White chalky staining on the chimney face
- Bricks that feel loose to the touch
We install chimney caps as well. A cap keeps rain out of the flue and slows the damage that starts the whole cycle.
Repointing or Parging?
People mix these up, and they are different jobs.
Repointing replaces the mortar in the joints between bricks or blocks. Parging coats the whole wall surface with a fresh layer of mortar. If your block wall is crumbling across its face, you probably need parging and sealing rather than repointing.
Some walls need both. We will tell you which one your wall needs when we look at it.
One caution. If mortar joints are opening along a stair-step crack, the wall may be moving. That points to a foundation problem, not a mortar problem. Repointing a moving wall only hides the crack until it opens again.
Painting Foundation Walls
We paint foundation walls inside and out, in whatever color you choose. A clean, sound wall with fresh paint gives a basement a finished look.
We will be straight with you about one thing. Paint does not stop a leak. If water is coming through the wall, the water has to be handled first. Paint over an active leak and it will peel.
Glass Block and Structo Glass Windows
D-Bug installs glass block and structo glass basement windows. Both let daylight in while sealing out drafts and water.
Talk to Us First
Every wall is different. We would rather look at yours than guess at it.
Since 1980, we have served local families across Western Pennsylvania. That record is our best testimonial, and we earn it again on every job. Call D-Bug Waterproofing at 1-855-381-1528, or visit our Contact Us page.