The Problem
The homeowner discovered chunks of brick face littering the flower bed along the front of their 1940s Chicago-style bungalow. Twelve bricks on the front facade had spalled - their outer faces had cracked and separated, exposing the soft inner cores to direct weather.
Investigation revealed the cause: a previous tuckpointing job had used Type S mortar (high Portland cement content, ~1,800 PSI compressive strength) on brick that was designed for Type O or Type N mortar (~350-750 PSI). The overly hard mortar trapped moisture in the brick rather than allowing it to migrate through the joints, and freeze-thaw cycles did the rest. The bricks were the victims - the mortar was the problem.
Our Solution
We sourced period-correct salvaged brick from a 1940s-era demolition supplier. Finding the right match took two weeks - the original brick is a specific warm red-orange common brick that was standard in Chicago bungalow construction. We tested color, texture, and size against the originals before purchasing.
Each damaged brick was carefully cut out without disturbing adjacent bricks. The cavity was cleaned, dampened, and the replacement brick was set in Type N lime-rich mortar - the correct type for this era and brick hardness. We also removed the incorrect Type S mortar from all joints surrounding the replaced bricks and repointed with Type N to prevent future spalling.
The Result
The twelve replacement bricks are virtually indistinguishable from the originals. The salvaged brick aged naturally to match the existing wall. More importantly, the correct mortar type will allow the wall assembly to breathe properly, preventing the moisture entrapment that caused the original spalling.
We recommended the homeowner consider repointing the remaining Type S mortar on the front facade within the next few years to prevent additional brick damage.