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Can crumbling brick steps be repaired, or do they need to be rebuilt?

If the steps are still level and solid, and the damage is loose mortar or a few broken bricks, they can usually be repaired by repointing the joints and resetting or replacing bricks. If they've sunk, tilted, pulled away from the house, or cracked through several rows, the base under them has failed and they need rebuilding.

If you want me to take a look, text a picture to 443-900-4815 or call the same number. I'm James. I've done masonry and step repairs around Baltimore City and Baltimore County for 24+ years, and I'm licensed and insured, MHIC #154344.

How can I tell repair from rebuild?

Signs a repair will do:

  • Mortar is crumbling or missing between bricks, but the bricks are tight.
  • A few bricks are loose, chipped, or cracked, often on the treads or the front edges.
  • The steps are level and still tight against the house.

Signs it needs rebuilding:

  • The steps have sunk or tilted, or water puddles on the treads.
  • There's a gap between the steps and the house that keeps getting wider.
  • Cracks run through several rows of brick, not just the joints.
  • Bricks are crumbling all over, not just in one spot.

Why do brick steps crumble?

  • Water and freezing. Brick and mortar soak up water. When it freezes, it expands and breaks them apart a little more each winter.
  • Downspouts and gutters dumping at the steps. A downspout that empties next to the steps, or a gutter overflowing above them, keeps the brick soaked and washes out the ground underneath. See why gutters overflow.
  • Salt. De-icing salt eats at mortar and the face of the brick.
  • The wrong patch. Hard cement smeared over soft old brick traps water and makes the brick around it break down faster.

Repairs from our work

Cracked, sunken concrete sidewalk slab at the bottom of brick front steps
Before: the slab at the bottom of the steps had sunk and cracked, and it was a trip hazard.
New concrete sidewalk slab poured at the foot of brick front steps
After: a new slab poured where the old one had sunk and cracked.

Sometimes the problem is right at the foot of the steps, not the steps themselves. Fixing the slab under them can stop water and settling from working on the steps.

New concrete steps poured below the original stone steps of a Baltimore rowhouse
New concrete steps we poured at the bottom of a rowhouse stoop, under the original stone steps. These are concrete under stone, not brick.

What we do

  1. Look at the steps, the base, and where the water comes from, including the downspouts and gutters above.
  2. Send you pictures of what we found, with a price before any work starts.
  3. Repair what can be saved: repoint the joints, reset loose bricks, and replace broken ones to match as closely as we can.
  4. Rebuild when the base has failed, on a proper footer (footing), not on the walkway pad, so the new steps don't sink the same way.
  5. Fix the water problem that caused it, like a downspout emptying at the steps.

See porch step repairs for more on step work, and masonry services for brick and stone repair.

You can text me at 443-900-4815 with pictures of the steps from the front and the side, or call the same number.

Brick step questions

Why are my brick steps crumbling?

Mostly water and freezing. Brick and mortar soak up water, and each freeze breaks them apart a little more. Downspouts emptying at the steps, de-icing salt, and hard cement patches make it worse.

Can I patch brick steps with concrete?

It's not a good fix. Concrete smeared over old brick cracks off and traps water against the brick, which makes it crumble faster. Loose joints should be repointed with mortar that suits the brick, and broken bricks replaced.

Why did my front steps pull away from the house?

The ground or the footing under the steps settled, often because water from a downspout or gutter has been washing it out. A gap that keeps growing usually means the steps need rebuilding on a solid base.

How long does a brick step repair take?

It depends on whether it's repointing and a few bricks or a full rebuild, and on the weather, since mortar and concrete need dry days above freezing to cure. We'll tell you what to expect when we give you the price.

Can brick steps be rebuilt in concrete instead?

Yes. You can have concrete poured in place of the brick if you want it and your neighborhood has no restrictions against it. Either way, steps should sit on their own footer, not on the walkway pad.