Masonry for Brick & Block Structures
Failing mortar, spalling brick, and cracked block aren’t just cosmetic, left alone, they let water in and let structures move. We match materials and mortar to what’s already there, repair what’s failing, and rebuild what’s beyond repair, so the work blends in and holds up to Quad Cities freeze-thaw.
Done right, a masonry repair disappears.
Masonry Doesn’t Wear Out, It Lets Water In
Brick and stone last a century when the joints are sound. The failure almost always starts the same way: an open joint lets water in, and our winters do the rest. Repoint brick with mortar harder than the brick, and the brick is what cracks next.
Water & Freeze-Thaw
Water seeps into open joints, freezes, and pops the mortar apart, a little more every Quad Cities winter.
Eroding Mortar
Old lime mortar slowly washes out. Once a joint opens, water gets in faster and the damage accelerates.
Movement & Cracked Brick
Settlement and foundation movement crack brick and open joints from below, masonry only shows what the structure is doing. Cracks that run through the brick units themselves — not just along the joints — point to structural distress, not a masonry-only fix.
Matching the Mortar Is the Whole Job
Here’s what almost no one knows: mortar is supposed to be softer than the brick. It’s the sacrificial layer, it wears first so the brick doesn’t. Repoint with modern, too-hard mortar and the brick spalls instead. Matching the old mortar is what separates a repair that lasts from one that quietly destroys the wall.
Free · no obligation
Not sure what your home actually needs?
Tell us what’s going on. We’ll diagnose the real problem and put a written estimate in your hands, usually within one business day. No pressure, no commissioned salespeople.
Real tuckpointing means cutting the old joints out
Plenty of crews “tuckpoint” by smearing fresh mortar over the old, failing joints. It looks fixed for a season, then it fails again.
We do it the slower way. We scrape away every bit of loose material and rout the failing mortar joints out to sound brick before we re-point. Fresh mortar needs a clean, deep joint to actually bond and carry load, skim it over the top and you’ve just hidden the problem until next winter. It’s more work, and it’s the only way the repair lasts.
The Behncke crew · Quad Cities, since 1948
Masonry Services
Tuckpointing & Repointing
Grinding out failed, crumbling mortar joints and repacking them with fresh, color-matched mortar, the single best way to stop water and extend the life of brick.
Brick & Block Replacement
Cutting out spalled, cracked, or missing units and replacing them with matching brick or block so the repair disappears into the wall.
Chimneys & Foundations
Rebuilding deteriorated chimney crowns and caps, and repairing brick and block foundation walls where mortar and units have failed.
Structural Masonry
Load-bearing repairs and rebuilds, the same structural masonry work the State of Iowa trusts us with on public buildings.
One of Three Statewide Masonry Contractors for Iowa
The State of Iowa selected Behncke as one of only three masonry contractors statewide to service state buildings. It’s the same craftsmanship and honest assessment we bring to every chimney, porch, and foundation wall we touch, we repair what can be saved and only rebuild what truly needs it.
Crumbling Mortar or Cracked Brick?
We’ll assess the masonry, tell you what actually needs repair versus rebuild, and give you a clear written quote, usually within one business day.
Straight answers, no sales pressure
Masonry, chimney & tuckpointing questions we hear from Quad Cities homeowners
The questions we get most from Davenport, Bettendorf, Moline, Rock Island, and LeClaire, answered the same way we’d explain them at your house.
Can you repair or replace damaged brick on my house?
Yes. Where brick or the mortar between it has deteriorated, we repoint and rebuild the affected area so it sheds water again, the mortar joints are what keep water out, so filling them back in is most of the job. Targeted brick and tuckpointing work like this usually falls in the $500–$2,000 range; larger restorations run higher. We’ll tell you honestly whether yours is a spot repair or something bigger.
Can you repair my chimney, crumbling, pulling away, or needs a cap?
Yes. Crumbling mortar and spalling brick we repoint and rebuild; a missing or failed cap we replace so water stops getting in at the top. A chimney that’s pulling away from the house is a structural issue, not just cosmetic, so we look at what’s causing the lean before we recommend a fix. Either way you’ll get the honest picture, not a scare pitch.
Can you parge my stone or brick foundation?
Yes, parging is one of our regular foundation repairs. On older stone and brick foundations we rebuild and seal the surface where the face and mortar have worn away, which both protects the wall and cleans it up. If a section has actually moved, we brace it first and then seal, “brace it, then seal it”, rather than parging over a structural problem and hoping it holds.
Can you repair stucco or do stone veneer work?
Yes, we handle stucco repair and stone veneer as part of our masonry work. We match the repair to what’s there and make sure whatever’s behind it is sound first, because good masonry over a wet or moving wall doesn’t last. Fix the cause, then the face.
Can you tuckpoint my foundation, chimney, or block wall?
Yes to all three, tuckpointing (refilling the mortar joints) is core masonry work for us, whether it’s a chimney leaking at the joints, a block basement wall, or an old foundation. On a leaking chimney, fresh tuckpointing plus a sound cap is usually what stops the water. We’ll point out anywhere the joints have failed and quote the honest scope, no more than the wall actually needs.