Temporary Vs. Long-Term Masonry Solutions For Commercial Buildings

I've been in masonry for over 25 years. I started as a kid hauling materials for my father and uncles back in London, then spent five years at Langs of London Trade School working through Levels 1, 2, and 3 of Advanced Masonry. By the time I moved to Boston at 19, I'd seen more brick than most people see in a lifetime. So when I tell you there's a big difference between a temporary masonry fix and a real repair, trust me… I'm not just guessing. My team and I have seen it all over the past several decades.

As a commercial property owner, when something goes wrong with your building, there's pressure to fix it fast, but sometimes (usually) the fastest option isn't the right one.

TL;DR: Temporary repairs stabilize urgent problems but don't address what caused them in the first place. Long-term commercial masonry repairs in Boston target the root cause, which can include water infiltration, settlement, and/or deteriorated mortar.

When a Quick Fix Makes Sense

Look, I'm not going to tell you temporary repairs are always wrong. That just wouldn’t be the truth. If a section of brick is loose and could fall on someone, you deal with it that day. If water is actively pouring into a basement, you stop it. Hydraulic cement, elastomeric sealants, patching compounds all have their place when it comes to masonry.

The Massachusetts State Building Code actually accounts for this. There are situations where stabilizing something quickly is the responsible move while you plan the proper repair.

The problem is when a temporary fix becomes the permanent fix, which is where I see buildings get into real trouble.

What's Actually Happening Behind That Crack in Your Brick Building

In Boston, we get dozens of freeze-thaw cycles every year. We’ve covered this extensively in previous articles, but essentially, water finds a small void, freezes, expands, and the crack gets a little bigger. Then it happens again. And again. And again. By spring, what was a hairline crack is something that warrants a call to masonry professionals in Boston.

Most masonry problems on commercial buildings trace back to one of a few things: water getting where it shouldn't, mortar that's failed, foundation movement, or some combination of all three. When you slap a patch over a crack without figuring out why that crack is there, the underlying stress doesn't go anywhere… it just keeps building. The patch fails, the crack comes back larger, and now you've spent money TWICE and the repair is going to cost more than it would have the first time.

I've been doing commercial masonry in Boston for over 20 years. I've walked plenty of buildings where someone did a "cheap fix" five years ago and it ended up costing three times more to sort out properly.Yes, we can always tell.

What A Long-Term Masonry Repair Looks Like

Repointing

Full repointing means removing deteriorated mortar to the right depth and replacing it with a mix that actually matches the original in strength and flexibility. A mortar that's too hard for the brick it's holding will cause more damage over time, and the brick spalls instead of the mortar doing its job. For historic commercial buildings, lime-based mortars are often the right call. It's one of those things you learn after years of training, not something you figure out on the fly. Your commercial building (especially if it’s historic) needs someone who knows what they’re doing.

Toby, one of our clients, had a fieldstone foundation in rough shape. He described it as "very decrepit". After we finished the job, he left a JMS Masonry & Restoration review saying "John is exceptionally good at communicating throughout the project. His work is professional and his team cares." No matter the size, that’s how we approach all of our jobs.

Water Management And Flashing

Long-term commercial masonry repair means looking at the full picture: gutters, downspouts, coping stones, through-wall flashing. Water has to go somewhere, and if the building isn't directing it away from the masonry, the masonry is going to keep losing the battle.

Foundation And Structural Work

JMS Masonry & Restoration provides foundation repair to commercial properties across Greater Boston, including underpinning, wall tie installation, and lintel replacement. We work with structural engineers when the job calls for it.

Working with JMS Masonry for Commercial Repair in Boston

When we assess a commercial building, we're not guessing at what's wrong. We find the actual cause and fix it properly the first time.

Contact JMS Masonry & Restoration to schedule an assessment. Our schedule fills up fast, so the sooner we hear from you, the better.