Brick Replacement · Frankfort, IL
Brick Replacement in Frankfort, IL — Spalled & Cracked Brick Replaced
When brick flakes apart or cracks through, mortar repair is no longer enough — the brick itself has to come out. Paul Lally's Masonry matches and replaces damaged brick on Frankfort homes so the wall is sound and seamless. Family-owned since 1988.
Quick Answer
Paul Lally's Masonry provides brick replacement in Frankfort, IL — removing spalled, cracked, and loose brick and replacing it with matched units set in color- and type-matched mortar. We source brick to match your wall so the repair is seamless. Family-owned and serving Chicagoland since 1988, licensed, bonded, and insured. Free on-site estimates — call (708) 448-8866.
Brick replacement in Frankfort, IL — when mortar repair isn't enough
There is a point where renewing the mortar no longer fixes the wall: when the brick itself has failed — flaking apart, cracked through, or crumbling at the face. At that stage the damaged brick has to come out and matched brick has to go in. Paul Lally's Masonry replaces spalled, cracked, and loose brick on Frankfort homes and sources brick to match so the repair is seamless. Family-owned and serving Chicagoland since 1988, licensed, bonded, and insured. Free on-site estimates: (708) 448-8866.
Repair or replacement? Knowing the difference
This is the question most Frankfort homeowners are really asking:
- If the brick is sound and the mortar has failed → that is tuckpointing, a mortar repair.
- If the brick face is spalling, cracked through, or crumbling → that brick must be replaced.
Many walls need both — failed mortar lets water in, which then spalls the brick. We assess the wall and tell you honestly what it needs; we never replace brick that only needs repointing.
Why brick fails in Frankfort
Brick fails when water gets into it and freezes. The face soaks up moisture, Will County winter freezes it, the water expands, and the brick face pops off — spalling. The common triggers:
- Failed mortar joints letting water into the wall.
- A leaking sill, lintel, or downspout concentrating water on one spot.
- A hard, modern mortar on older soft brick, which forces the brick to take the stress and spall.
- Ground-contact and splash zones at the base of the wall.
Signs you need brick replacement: flaking or crumbling faces, bricks cracked all the way through, hollow-sounding or loose bricks, and bricks that have lost their face entirely.
The risk of waiting
Spalling does not stay put. Once a brick loses its face it drinks up even more water, and freeze-thaw drives the damage into neighboring brick and deeper into the wall. A handful of replaceable face bricks today can become a structural section rebuild if it is left for years. Fixing the water source at the same time is what stops it for good.
Our brick replacement process
- Free inspection. We identify which bricks have truly failed and — just as important — why, so the cause gets fixed too.
- Source matching brick. We match size, color, and texture, hand-picking units so the repair blends with your wall.
- Remove cleanly. Damaged brick is cut out without disturbing the sound masonry around it.
- Set and tie in. New brick is set in color- and type-matched mortar and tied into the wall to carry load and shed water.
- Point and clean. Joints are tooled to match and the area is cleaned down.
What drives the cost of brick replacement
No flat rate — the number depends on:
- How many bricks are damaged.
- How difficult the brick is to match (older or blended brick takes more sourcing).
- Location and height of the work.
- Whether the water source — a lintel, sill, or joint — must also be repaired.
The only honest figure is a free on-site estimate — (708) 448-8866.
Why Frankfort homeowners choose Paul Lally's Masonry
Paul Lally's Masonry is a family-owned, licensed and insured masonry contractor serving Chicago and the Chicagoland suburbs since 1988 — brick repair and replacement, tuckpointing, chimney repair, lintel replacement, masonry restoration, and waterproofing for residential and commercial properties. We match your brick, fix the cause of the damage, and tie the new masonry in so the repair lasts and disappears. Built on Craftsmanship. Backed by Experience. Free on-site estimates — call (708) 448-8866.
Related services
- Tuckpointing and repointing — the mortar repair that often accompanies brick replacement.
- Brick repair — for cracked or loose brick that can be saved.
- Masonry waterproofing and sealing — to keep water out after the repair.
Brick flaking or cracking on your home? Call Paul Lally's Masonry at (708) 448-8866 or request a free estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does brick replacement cost in Frankfort, IL?
There is no flat rate — it depends on how many bricks are damaged, how hard the brick is to match, the location and height of the work, and whether the cause (like a leak or failed lintel) must also be fixed. A few face bricks is a small job; a spalled section is larger. The only accurate figure is a free on-site estimate from Paul Lally's Masonry.
Do I need brick repair or brick replacement?
If the brick is sound but the mortar joints have failed, you need tuckpointing (mortar repair). If the brick itself is spalling, cracked through, or crumbling, the damaged units must be replaced. Often a wall needs both. We tell you honestly which your Frankfort home needs at the free estimate.
Can you match the brick on my Frankfort home?
Yes — matching is the whole craft of brick replacement. We match brick size, color, and texture, sourcing as close to your original as possible, and set it in color- and type-matched mortar. On blended or older brick we hand-pick units so the repair disappears into the wall.
Why is my brick flaking and crumbling?
That is spalling — water soaks into the brick, freezes in winter, expands, and pops the face off. It usually starts where mortar joints have failed or water is concentrated, like below a leaking sill or a bad downspout. Replacing the spalled brick and fixing the water source stops it from spreading.
Will replaced brick be as strong as the original wall?
Yes. We remove the damaged units cleanly, set matched brick in fresh mortar, and tie it into the surrounding masonry so the repaired section carries load and sheds water just like the rest of the wall — often it ends up the soundest part of the wall.
What happens if I leave spalling brick alone?
Spalling spreads. Once the face is gone, the brick absorbs even more water, and freeze-thaw keeps eating into the wall and the brick around it. Left long enough, a few replaceable bricks become a structural repair. Addressing it early keeps the job small.
Free on-site estimates across Chicagoland.