Brick spalling repair and replacement on a Burr Ridge estate — 400+ sq ft of frost-damaged brick replaced with matched units after drainage correction.
Project Details
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After 
Before 1/3 — Main wall section — spalling brick removed and replaced with matched clay brick units
After 
Before 2/3 — Corner detail — damaged corner brick replaced and repointed with color-matched mortar
After 
Before 3/3 — Window surround — frost-damaged brick around opening replaced, lintel inspected and sealed
This Burr Ridge estate had sustained frost spalling across the north elevation — an area that retained moisture through the spring thaw each year. After addressing the underlying drainage issue, we replaced 400 square feet of spalling brick with a correct color and profile match.
Spalling brick exposes the substrate to freeze-thaw cycling, multiplying the damage each season
Mismatched replacement brick creates visible patchwork that permanently reduces curb appeal
Delayed brick replacement turns a $3,000 repair into a full section rebuild at 5x the cost
Every project follows the same disciplined sequence — no shortcuts, no hand-offs, same crew start to finish.
We catalog all damaged units, measure profile dimensions (species, face size, texture), and source the correct matching brick before any removal begins. We won't start work without an approved match sample.
Mortar joints around damaged units are saw-cut before extraction to avoid damaging adjacent brick. Careful removal is the only way to preserve the surrounding wall.
Matched replacement brick is set in correctly formulated mortar. All joints disturbed during removal are repointed with color-matched mortar tooled to existing profile.
Completed work is cleaned and inspected under raking light to confirm matching and joint consistency. Before/after photos are taken at every location before we close out.
The hardest part of damaged brick replacement is matching the original. AMS maintains relationships with regional and salvage suppliers specifically so we can find the right match — not the close match. A properly matched brick replacement is indistinguishable from the original wall within one season of weathering.
In most cases, yes — we source from regional suppliers and salvage yards that stock discontinued profiles. For very rare or pre-1940 brick, we typically find salvaged matching units within 2-3 weeks. We always bring samples for approval before we start.
Freeze-thaw cycling is the most common cause in Illinois. Water enters through a hairline crack or porous face, freezes, expands, and pushes the brick face off. The underlying cause is almost always water infiltration from failed mortar, cracks, or missing caulk — we fix the entry point when we replace the brick.
Selective replacement is almost always the right approach. We remove only the damaged units and restore adjacent joints. A full-wall demo is only warranted when structural damage affects the entire section — which is rare.
