Crumbling chimney brick in Melrose? Ask our pros

Cracks in the brickwork explained and priced on your free inspection in Melrose, with no pressure to book.

Family owned and run
Free inspection first
100% satisfaction, guaranteed
Locally owned and operated

Call (352) 675-6366 Get a Free Inspection

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Prefer the phone? Call (352) 675-6366

Vines growing up the chimney

Ivy or creeping vines on the chimney look lovely, but their roots work into the mortar joints, hold water against the brick and pry loose anything that's already weak.

Tearing it off can pull mortar with it, so the growth is cut back first and then eased off the brick. Then our pros check the joints underneath and repoint any that the roots have damaged. You'll hear what they found and see the price on the quote. Keeping the vines off afterwards protects the new work. Speak with a local pro about the vines on your chimney in Melrose by phoning (352) 675-6366.

Melrose is a listed service location spanning Alachua, Bradford, Clay and Putnam counties. This does not extend our service area to every address in those counties; confirm your location when booking.

About 18 miles, measured point to point, lie between Melrose and the Gainesville reference point. Melrose spans Alachua, Bradford, Clay and Putnam counties. Its place on our town list does not imply coverage throughout those counties.

What's Included

Your chimney masonry, put right

Loose bricks at the top lifted off and reset
Rusting lintels cleaned, coated or replaced
Stone joints repointed to match the original look
Repointing and brick work under our workmanship warranty

Call (352) 675-6366 Get a Free Inspection

Local Conditions

Stone chimneys inland

A natural stone chimney on a home in Melrose has wide joints that take the weather. When they wear, water runs deep into the wall between the stones. Our specialists repoint stone with a mortar softer than the stone and tool it to match the original look, so the repair blends in as it weathers. Loose stones are reset in fresh mortar before the joints are finished.

Our Process

Mortar matched before a joint is touched

Find which half failed

Every face is looked over for worn joints, damaged brick and cracks, and the cause is found.
Match mortar and brick

Samples are mixed and cured, and replacement brick is matched and shown to you.
Joints raked, then refilled

Joints are raked to sound depth, repointed in layers, and damaged brick is swapped out.
Cover, clean, cure

The work is covered against rain, the site cleaned, and you get curing time spelled out.

Why Choose Us

Patient, family-run masonry work

Locally owned and run
A family-run company
100% satisfaction guarantee
Your inspection is free
Same-day visits available
Arrange a visit, take 10% off

When repair stops making sense, you'll see it priced next to a rebuild.

100% satisfaction, guaranteedIf the repair doesn't blend in or hold, we make it right. That's our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Your price, upfrontMasonry work in Melrose is priced by section up front, so you can choose what gets done.
Locally owned and operatedA locally owned business, so the masons who repointed your chimney are easy to reach later.

Call (352) 675-6366 Get a Free Inspection

New mortar that stays softer than the brick

On strength, the Brick Industry Association's repointing guidance is clear: the new mortar shouldn't be any stronger in compression than what's already in the wall. A stronger mortar concentrates stress at the brick's edges and faces.

Over time, that stress cracks and spalls the brick next to the joint, and the damage is worse than the worn mortar ever was. Our specialists match the new mortar to the old in strength as well as color, and they'll explain why the strongest mix isn't the best one for your chimney. It's a mistake our pros see on old repairs again and again, and an easy one to avoid.

Why brick faces pop off

Spalled brick, with the face flaked off in a sheet, is water damage. As wet brick dries, dissolved salts can crystallize just below the surface instead of on it, and the pressure pushes the face away. The National Park Service's guidance on repointing historic masonry describes it, and notes that mortar harder or less permeable than the brick drives more moisture into the units.

Our pros replace spalled brick, but they also look for why it was wet. Fixing the water path, and using mortar that lets the wall breathe, keeps the new brick from going the same way. The source gets fixed alongside the brick.

Covering fresh work before rain

Fresh mortar and open joints are vulnerable to rain. The Brick Industry Association recommends a waterproof membrane over wall tops and openings whenever work stops, overnight included.

Our specialists do exactly that on chimney jobs, tarping the top and any open sections before leaving the site. Rain on uncured mortar washes it out of the joints and stains the brick below. Covering the work also keeps water out of the chimney while it's partly repaired. It's routine on every job, and it's included in the price. Covers are weighted or tied so wind can't lift them. A dry wall also takes the next day's mortar better.

Free Inspection

Every face of the chimney, checked free in Melrose

Cracks through the bricks and what's causing them
Earlier patches made with hard or mismatched mortar
Joints on a stone chimney, or veneer checked against the maker's guide
Steel over openings for rust and lifted brick

Claim 10% off your first service

Matched mortar, matched brick, and a 10% discount on your first repair.

Call (352) 675-6366 Get a Free Inspection

FAQs

What people ask about chimney brick

Who handles chimney masonry repair in Melrose?

Our pros do. Melrose is inside our Alachua County coverage, and each face of the chimney gets checked for free before any repair is priced. Soft joints or flaking brick are worth mentioning on the phone.

Will the repair match my brick?

Our pros match replacement brick for size, absorption and color, and mix mortar samples to match the old joints. You'll see a sample on the wall before the work starts.

Our Services