PT Servitama

brickpointingnewyork.com is not only a catchphrase used by those carrying plans. This is real business, a mix of science and art, scraping and polishing, dust in your eyes and satisfaction in your chest. You will see it walking along any Harlem avenue or Brooklyn block. Perhaps you see a worker scraping old, crumbling mortar between worn-out bricks, then filling in the voids with fresh mix that brings the ancient stand dignity. There is history in those lines—stories supported by competent hands.

Older brownstones and brick townhouses scattered around the city do not readily reveal their secrets. Any old paste will not be able to fill up their gaps and fissures. The combination has to be exactly right, with matching texture and color. One careless swipe results in a sore thumb-like repair. I have seen teams struggle over matching historic mortar, fidgeting with little quantities until the appearance fits the facade as it has always done.

Here the weather is not fair. One winter, thaw and freeze, and you find bricks starting to shiver. Water freezes at night and slips into tiny openings. The next thing you know, bits fly right off with a sound like teeth chatting. Property owners with wrinkled brows will be concerned that minor fractures could become a more serious issue—water leaks, breezes, even structural problems.

You might not consider pointing until you witness the facelift on the neighboring building. Your own apartment seems older and perhaps more depressed suddenly. That is the way the brick-pointing insect bites. But hold on—choosing the correct New York contractor can feel like looking for an honest cabbie on New Year’s Eve. While some say “only the best materials,” others drop a quotation that makes you want to sit down; some offer deals that seem too fantastic.

“It’s not magic, but it’s close,” said a buddy once. There is choreography for both mortar and trowels. Sometimes employees jest while they scrape, radio humming in the backdrop. Still, the focus never lets go. Excellent brick pointing reinforces walls, resists water, and even increases the value of the property. One of those projects people respect without really knowing why.

What then is the correct line of action? Start with a sharp eye; search for white, powdery deposits—that is, efflorescence—a indication of moisture—or cracks and crumbling joints. Avoid waiting for tragedy. Little preventative maintenance pays off greatly down-stream. Make reference requests. Demand to view examples. Part preservation, part facelift, and all about safeguarding what distinguishes the buildings of this city are brick pointing.

Every one of those ancient bricks? Sheltering laughter, disputes, and love for many generations. Though no one stops to remark, “Good joints,” a good pointing job silently keeps those stories alive. That is New York—always forward-looking but kept together by the deliberate persistence of yesterday’s efforts.