Tuckpointing & Brick Restoration
Worn, crumbling mortar is ground out and replaced with fresh mortar color-matched to your home, sealing the gaps that let water in.
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Serving all of Southeast Michigan
Masonry Walls: Retaining, Garden & Brick Walls
From a crumbling garden wall to a retaining wall that's leaning, we repair, rebuild, and build masonry walls. We look at what's causing the problem first, so the fix lasts.
- We look first, then quote
- Photos of what we find
- Estimate before work begins
Walls that hold up, and hold back
Masonry walls do a lot of different jobs. Retaining walls hold back soil on a slope. Garden and seat walls frame a yard or patio. Stand-alone brick walls mark property lines and add character. Each one faces Michigan freeze-thaw, water, and, for retaining walls, the constant push of the soil behind it.
When a wall starts to fail, the cause is usually water: joints that wash out, brick or block that soaks up water and spalls, or water building up behind a retaining wall with no way out. Fixing the visible damage without dealing with the cause tends to mean doing the job twice.
WOW is full masonry experts, from minor repairs to major renovations and full installations and rebuilds. Whether your wall needs repointing, a few replaced bricks, a rebuilt section, or a new wall from the ground up, we look first and give you a clear estimate before any work begins.
Don't wait on this
Signs a masonry wall needs repair
Leaning or bulging
A retaining wall that tips forward or bows out is losing the fight against the soil behind it.
Cracks through the wall
Stair-step or vertical cracks can mean settling or movement and let water deeper into the wall.
Crumbling mortar
Washed-out or sandy joints on a brick or stone wall let water in and loosen the masonry.
Loose or fallen caps
Cap stones and top courses take the most weather and are often the first part of a wall to come loose.
Spalling brick or block
Faces that flake or pop off are absorbing water and freezing.
Soil or water seeping through
Wet spots, staining, or soil washing out at the base point to a drainage problem behind the wall.
How it works
Look first. Then build it right.
No guesswork and no surprises. You know what's wrong and what it costs before any work begins. If we uncover more damage, we stop and get your approval first.
- 1
Look first
We check the wall, the joints, the cap, and the ground and drainage around it, and photograph what we find.
- 2
Plan & estimate
We explain whether the wall can be repaired or a section needs to be rebuilt, and what it will cost, before any work begins.
- 3
Repair, rebuild, or build
We repoint, replace brick or block, rebuild failed sections, or build a new wall, with drainage considered from the start.
- 4
Finish & clean up
Caps are set, joints are tooled, the work is matched to what's there, and the site is cleaned up.
Can a leaning retaining wall be fixed?
Sometimes. It depends on how far it has moved and why. Some walls can be repaired; others need to be taken down and rebuilt so the soil and water behind them are handled properly. We'll look at it and tell you straight.
Do you build new walls, or only repair them?
Both. We handle minor repairs, major renovations, full rebuilds, and new installations.
Why does drainage matter for a retaining wall?
Water that collects behind a retaining wall adds pressure and freezes in winter. Planning for that water is a big part of whether a wall lasts.
Can you match my existing brick or stone wall?
We match mortar color and brick or stone as closely as possible to your existing wall so repairs blend in.
Related services
Related masonry services
Brick Paver Patios
New brick paver patios, plus lifting and relaying sunken, heaved, or loose pavers on the patio you already have.
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Brick & Masonry Porches
Loose bricks, crumbling joints, and settled steps repaired, or the porch and steps rebuilt when they're past repair.
Learn moreService area
Serving all of Southeast Michigan
From our storefront in Mount Clemens we cover homes across five counties.
Get started
Schedule a visit
Call us, stop by the Mount Clemens shop, or send the form and we'll call you.
WOW Chimney & Brick Experts101 Church St
Mount Clemens, MI 48043
(586) 636-6424
Hours
- Monday – Friday
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- Saturday
- –
- Sunday
- Closed
Tell us about your masonry project
Tell us what's going on. We'll call to confirm a time.