Facade Masonry & Envelope Services
When your building’s facade masonry starts to fail, it threatens more than just the aesthetic appeal. Everything behind it becomes vulnerable. Water seeps in, energy bills skyrocket, and loose bricks cause safety concerns. The creeping uncertainty of what else could go wrong steals your attention away from your business.
At Bramwell-McKay Masonry Restoration, we’ve spent over four decades preserving the character and confidence of some of the nation’s most storied buildings. We take the unknown out of the equation. Whether you’re contending with separating facing bricks, weakened joints, or unseen moisture, we apply time-honored craftsmanship to protect and restore your key architectural features.
Preserving Building Masonry Through Timeless Architectural Details
Brick facades are designed to last, but even the most robust assemblies can yield to years of elemental pressure. Over time, cracks form along the joints, the veneer begins to bow, and the protective insulation beneath may quietly deteriorate.
Quick fixes often do more harm than good. New bricks mismatched in bond or hue, incompatible mortar, and missing air gaps all jeopardize the structure’s cohesion. True restoration requires more than patchwork.
Our team approaches each building with a conservator’s eye. We assess every layer and every connection to devise a solution that respects the original architecture while reinforcing it for decades to come.
Cracks, Shifts, and Separation: The Warning Signs of Brick Facade Failure
Even the most timeless architectural styles, from modern architecture to century-old brickwork, face vulnerabilities over time. Common causes of degradation in brick facades include:
- Moisture infiltration through compromised joints, damaging insulation, and underlying sheathing
- Misaligned layers due to movement or flawed construction
- Inappropriate use of reclaimed bricks or patchwork repairs
- Load distribution failures that create stress cracks around windows, doors, and corners
Early signs might include efflorescence, bulging veneer, or gaps that disrupt your building’s aesthetic and sense of safety. They are the building’s early warnings. And the longer they’re left unattended, the more extensive the intervention becomes.
At Bramwell-McKay, we respond with care, precision, and a steward’s mindset. Whether the damage lies in a single-layer facade or a complex cavity system, we tailor our approach to preserve both form and function. In doing so, we ensure the facade masonry continues to protect what lies within.
Our Facade & Envelope Services
No two buildings share the same story. Every structure presents a unique combination of materials, environmental exposure, and architectural design. At Bramwell-McKay, we respond with strategies that respect those distinctions and restore integrity at every layer of the facade.
Block, Brick, and Stone Repair
Load-bearing masonry is subject to decades of stress, weather, and material fatigue. Our repair process begins with a full assessment of brick, block, and stone units to determine what can be preserved and what must be replaced. We carefully remove failed components, stabilize the wall where needed, and rebuild with materials that match the surrounding area. Where possible, we source reclaimed bricks to maintain architectural consistency.
EIFS Repair and Patching
Exterior Insulation and Finish Systems (EIFS) offer lightweight performance and modern aesthetics, but they’re also vulnerable to water damage when improperly detailed. Our team identifies weak points in the cladding system, opens up affected areas, and patches them using manufacturer-compatible materials and methods. Our work restores both the external finish and the protective insulation layer behind it.
Moisture Intrusion Remediation and Sealing
We treat moisture not just as a symptom, but as a system failure. Our remediation approach begins with identifying how and where water is entering the building envelope. From there, we apply breathable, high-performance sealants and make corrective repairs to flashing, joints, and drainage details. Every intervention is made to restore function and aesthetics.
Specialty Moisture Intrusion Detection
When a facade is leaking but the source is not readily apparent, our team uses non-invasive diagnostics to investigate. This includes tools like thermal imaging, tracer dyes, and probes that allow us to detect active moisture pathways without dismantling the wall. These insights inform targeted repairs and avoid unnecessary demolition.
Tuckpointing
When mortar joints deteriorate, bricks and stones experience stresses they were never meant to handle, leading to movement, instability, and moisture infiltration. Tuckpointing addresses this by removing failed mortar, replacing it with a new mix that matches the original in composition and appearance, and tooling it to blend seamlessly into the existing bond lines.
Decades of Stewardship in Masonry Facades
For over four decades, Bramwell-McKay has been trusted to restore and protect the facades of commercial structures across the country. Our approach goes beyond surface repair. From your first consultation to the final joint tooled, we take on your building as if it were our own. We’re not just contractors. We’re stewards of your property for the duration of every project.
Every repair we propose, every material we select, is chosen with the long-term performance of your structure in mind. Because you deserve more than a quick fix.
Schedule a Facade Consultation Today
If you’re seeing signs of deterioration like cracks, stains, separation, or recurring leaks, don’t wait for it to escalate. Bramwell-McKay is ready to help protect your building by explaining your options and providing a plan you can trust. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and get a quote tailored to your structure.