Mortar matching, and why it is not optional
Older Ottawa brick was laid with soft lime based mortar that is meant to be the sacrificial element, absorbing movement and letting moisture out.
Repoint with a hard modern mortar and the joint becomes stronger than the brick. Moisture and movement then break the brick face instead, which is a far more expensive problem than worn mortar.
So we match strength, colour and joint profile, and we rake joints to the correct depth before repointing rather than smearing new mortar over old. For heritage buildings that work runs through our historic building restoration service.
Spalling, sills and chimneys
Spalling, where the brick face pops off, means water got behind the face and froze. Those units get cut out and replaced, and the water source gets corrected at the same time.
Sills have to shed water away from the wall. A sill that has lost slope, or a hardened split sealant joint, delivers water straight into the masonry below it.
Chimneys take weather from every side and are often the worst masonry on an Ottawa house. Crown cracks, missing caps and failed flashing at the roof line are the usual findings, and all three let water in.
White staining and stepped cracks
A white powdery bloom on brick means water is moving through the wall and carrying salts to the surface. It is a symptom worth investigating rather than washing off.
Stepped cracking that follows the joints above a window often means a corroding steel lintel expanding as it rusts. Left alone it keeps opening the wall, so early repair is much cheaper than a rebuilt opening.
What a brick repair quote includes
- Condition survey: elevation by elevation with photos.
- Mortar match: strength, colour and joint profile stated.
- Unit replacement: how many bricks and where they are sourced.
- Lintels and sills: treatment or replacement where needed.
- Water source fix: flashing, sealant and drainage corrections.
- Access: scaffold or lift, plus protection of landscaping.
Where brick repair sits in the bigger job
This work is part of our general contractor service, so it can run on its own or as one stage inside a larger project. When it is part of a bigger renovation we sequence it with the other trades rather than treating it as a standalone visit.
Clients booking this often pair it with roof repair, roof replacement, new roof installation or stone masonry. One contract covers whichever combination you need, with a single schedule and one point of contact.
Brick Repair across the Ottawa area
We take this work on throughout the greater Ottawa area. Recent jobs have run through Nepean, Merivale, South Keys, Kanata and the surrounding neighbourhoods. The consultation is free wherever you are in the city.