Brick Masonry in Ann Arbor, MI

Craftsmanship That Holds Its Line for Generations

Mortar is the sacrificial layer in any brick wall, which is why repointing means cutting the old joint back 2 to 2.5 times its width, roughly 0.5 to 1 inch on typical brickwork. Depth is what makes repointing last. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration handles brick masonry in Ann Arbor, MI, covering porches, chimneys, additions, spalled unit replacement, repointing and decorative arch work, with new mortar matched in strength, color and joint profile to the wall already standing.


With 40 years of combined experience, we have handled brick for homeowners and businesses across the area, pulling face brick and sand from nearby yards so replacement units weather the way the originals already have. Damage gets assessed and measured before anything is quoted. Pricing stays competitive, and the person who looks at your wall is the person who lays it. Tell us what your brickwork is doing on our contact page and we will arrange a consultation and a project estimate.

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Discover How We Handle Brick Masonry

  • Brick Porches and Steps

    Steps carry code limits: risers no taller than 7.75 inches, treads at least 10 inches deep, and no more than 3/8 inch of variation across a flight. Footings reach 42 inches below grade, under the frost line, so the assembly stays put.

  • Brick Chimney Construction and Repair

    Chimney brick absorbs more freeze-thaw punishment than any other masonry on a house. We build to the 3-2-10 rule, cast crowns 2 inches thick with a 2.5 inch overhang and a drip edge, and leave a 3/8 inch expansion gap around the flue.

  • New Brick Builds and Additions

    Veneer on an addition needs a 1 inch minimum air space, one anchor per 2.67 square feet, and open head-joint weeps a maximum of 24 inches on center. Base flashing runs at least 8 inches up the backing before a unit is laid.

  • Brick Restoration and Repointing

    Failed joints get cut back 2 to 2.5 times the joint width, roughly 0.5 to 1 inch, never skimmed over. Wall temperatures must sit between 40 and 95 degrees, and fresh joints are covered with damp burlap and misted for 3 days.

  • Damage Assessments and Brick Repairs

    Water rarely passes through brick or mortar itself, because it enters at the separations between units and joints. A visual damage assessment maps where those separations run, which faces have spalled, and whether targeted repair or a section rebuild is the sounder call.

  • Decorative Brick Features and Arches

    Arches, soldier courses, corbels and banding give an elevation its character without changing what holds it up. Lintels over an opening bear at least 4 inches on the brickwork each side, and exposed joints get tooled concave or V shaped to shed rainwater.

Why Choose Us for Brick Masonry

Mortar Matched to Your Brick

Hard portland-heavy mortar is less permeable than old brick and drives damage into the units surrounding it. You get a mix as soft or softer than what it replaces, which keeps the joint sacrificial and leaves your brick faces intact for decades.

Water Kept Out of the Wall

Keeping rain out of a wall protects framing, insulation and finishes behind the brick. Joints are tooled concave or V shaped so water sheds off the face, weeps stay clear, and the separations where moisture actually enters get closed properly.

Repairs That Disappear Into the Original

Nobody wants a patch that announces itself from the sidewalk. Replacement units are selected for size, color range, texture and weathering, then joint width and profile are copied off the surrounding wall so a finished repair reads as original elevation.

One Point of Contact Start to Finish

From that first call through consultation, material selection, scheduling, site prep and finish work, you deal with us directly. Questions about progress, materials or timing get answered by the same small family operation actually laying your brick, not by a middleman.

Materials Picked From Local Yards

Brick and sand arrive from suppliers close to your property, which matters more than it sounds. Local sand sets mortar color, and nearby yards stock units fired for walls facing the same 42 freeze-thaw cycles this region averages every year.

Work Scheduled Around the Weather

Cold-season work gets planned rather than gambled on. Repointing needs wall temperatures between 40 and 95 degrees, and cold-weather masonry procedures begin below 40, so your project lands in a window where mortar can cure at full strength.

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Every Course We Lay Is Meant to Outlive Us

Brick held up buildings around here long before any of us picked up a trowel, and the walls still standing are the ones where somebody paid attention to the joint. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration builds and restores brickwork across Ann Arbor, MI, on porches, chimneys, additions, garden walls and full elevations, with mortar chosen to protect the brick rather than overpower it. There is no pressure and no hard sell on our end. Send the details and a few photos through our contact page, and we will arrange a consultation, walk the work with you, and put together an honest project estimate you can actually plan around.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I know if my brick needs repointing?

    Joints that crumble under a key, sit recessed behind the brick face, or show washed-out sand and open gaps are ready for repointing. Loose units, damp interior walls and mortar you can rake out by hand confirm it.

  • What is the difference between repointing and tuckpointing?

    Repointing means cutting deteriorated mortar out of a joint and refilling it with fresh mortar. Tuckpointing traditionally uses 2 mortar colors, one blended to the brick and a thin contrasting fillet, creating the illusion of very fine joints.

  • Will new mortar stick to old mortar?

    Yes, as long as the joint is cut back 2 to 2.5 times its width and the surfaces are clean and dampened first. Skim coating over failed mortar gives fresh material almost nothing to grip, so the repair fails again quickly.

  • What type of mortar is best for tuckpointing brick?

    Type O at 350 psi suits soft older brick and interior non-load-bearing work, while Type N at 750 psi fits most later exterior brickwork. New mortar must stay as vapor permeable and as soft or softer than the original.

  • Can you fix spalling bricks?

    Spalled units are cut out and replaced individually, matched for size, color and texture. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration replaces failed brick throughout Ann Arbor, MI, and always looks first at why a face popped, usually water freezing behind an overly hard joint.

  • How can I permanently repair cracks in my brick wall?

    Lasting crack repair starts with the movement behind the crack, whether settlement, a rusting lintel or trapped water. Cracked joints get cut out and repointed and split units get replaced, so the fix is structural rather than cosmetic.

  • What is the best way to match existing bricks?

    Matching runs on size first, then color range, texture and the way a unit weathers over time. Salvage from the same era often beats anything new, and a test panel about 3 feet by 3 feet confirms the choice beforehand.

  • Can you lay bricks in freezing temperatures?

    Cold-weather masonry procedures begin below 40 degrees: mortar stays above 40, sand and water are never heated past 140, and finished work is protected 24 hours. Danaher Family Masonry and Restoration schedules winter brickwork in Ann Arbor, MI around those windows.