What We Do in Chicago

Commercial Tuckpointing in Chicago

Mortar joints in Chicago brick buildings face approximately 100 freeze-thaw cycles per year, according to National Weather Service data for the ORD/MDW climate zone. As joints deteriorate, water infiltrates the wall assembly and damages sheathing, insulation, and framing months before visible failure appears at the surface. Arrow grinds each joint to a minimum three-quarter-inch depth before packing new mortar and color-matches every batch from a physical sample taken against the existing wall. Pre-war Chicago brick, in particular, requires softer mortar mixes than modern Portland-heavy blends; the wrong mix accelerates spalling in the surrounding brick within five to ten years.

Tuckpointing ›

Brick Replacement When the Original Manufacturer No Longer Exists

Spalled, cracked, and displaced brick on Chicago buildings are water entry points, not cosmetic problems. Matching replacement brick is the harder half of the work: Chicago common brick from manufacturers that closed decades ago is no longer produced, and salvage sourcing through regional brickyards is often the only viable path. Arrow locates matching material before committing to the repair, tuckpoints the surrounding joints as part of the same scope, and hand-selects each replacement unit so face color, texture, and dimension read as continuous with the original wall.

Brick Repair ›

Phased Facade Restoration for Condo Boards and Commercial Buildings

When a Chicago building needs more than spot repairs, Arrow provides a full envelope assessment and a phased restoration plan. The assessment covers mortar joints, brick and stone faces, lintels, sills, coping stones, parapet caps, flashing, and roof-to-wall transitions. Priorities are assigned by water-entry risk and structural urgency, so condo boards and property managers can fund critical work now and budget deferrable work over the next twelve to twenty-four months. Every scope includes a written specification suitable for lender review, insurance documentation, and Facade Ordinance filings where applicable.

Masonry Restoration ›

Steel Lintel Replacement in 50-to-100-Year-Old Buildings

Every masonry window and door opening is supported by a lintel that carries the brick load above it. In older Chicago buildings, original steel lintels have had 50 to 100 years of water exposure and are typically rusting from the inside out long before visible cracking or displacement appears at the surface. Rusting steel expands up to ten times its original volume, which fractures the surrounding brick and mortar. Arrow replaces failed lintels before the deterioration reaches the surrounding masonry; at the point of surface failure, a lintel replacement becomes an opening rebuild.

Lintel Replacement ›

Limestone and Brownstone Restoration on Historic Facades

Chicago commercial and residential buildings frequently incorporate Indiana limestone, brownstone, or granite in window surrounds, sills, water tables, and facade accents. Stone requires different techniques than brick: softer mortar composition, careful grinding protocols that preserve the stone face, and breathable consolidants for friable or delaminating material. Arrow handles both the stone repair and the surrounding masonry integration so the restored section reads as a continuous surface, and matches lime-based mortars on historic facades where Portland-based mortars would trap moisture and accelerate stone loss.

Stone Restoration ›

Chimney Repair and Rebuilds for Multi-Family Properties

Chimneys are the most exposed masonry element on any Chicago building, unprotected on multiple sides, hit directly by every rain event, and cycled by freeze-thaw without the benefit of wall insulation. Arrow handles crown repair and replacement, chimney cap installation, tuckpointing, flashing repair, and full chimney rebuilds for commercial and multi-family properties. Scope is based on what the chimney actually needs, not a standardized package. Chimney base flashing is the single most common source of water entry on flat-roofed Chicago multi-unit buildings and is inspected as part of every scope.

Chimney Repair ›

Panel Brick Repair for Apartment Buildings and Mid-Rise Properties

Mid-century apartment buildings across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs frequently use panel brick construction: two-to-four-inch thin brick applied to a concrete or steel frame, with an air cavity behind the panel. Panel systems fail differently than solid masonry: anchor corrosion causes panel bowing, and eventual separation from the substrate becomes a life-safety hazard. Arrow uses stainless-steel through-bolt anchors on panel repairs for a service life of 50 years or more, and coordinates with structural engineers where anchor loading requires analysis.

Panel Brick Repair ›

Additional Services: Caulking, Waterproofing, Power Washing

Local Context

What Chicago Property Managers Should Know About Commercial Masonry Work

The Chicago Facade Ordinance Requires Periodic Inspections

Chicago Municipal Code 13-196-030 requires exterior wall and enclosure inspections for buildings taller than 80 feet. Inspection intervals depend on facade type and prior inspection findings; critical examinations run on a four-to-twelve-year cycle. Reports are filed with the Department of Buildings.

Arrow does not perform the inspection itself, which must be conducted by an Illinois-licensed structural engineer or registered architect. Arrow provides the repair scope, phasing plan, and completion documentation that inspection reports typically require. Facade Ordinance filings often trigger tuckpointing, lintel replacement, and parapet rebuild work; Arrow coordinates these scopes with the filing engineer so repairs match the inspection report.

Permits Are Required for Most Chicago Masonry Work Over Twenty Feet

Chicago requires a building permit for masonry repair, tuckpointing, and facade work above twenty feet, on parapet walls, and on any work involving structural elements including lintels. Permit applications require contractor licensing information, insurance certificates, and worker safety documentation. Arrow is licensed, insured, and bonded for all work performed in Chicago.

The Chicago Masonry Work Season Runs April Through November

Mortar work requires ambient temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit during placement and the initial 24-to-48-hour cure. Chicago winters reliably meet this threshold only from mid-April through early November. Emergency stabilization work can be performed year-round with heated enclosures and additives, but scheduled maintenance tuckpointing, brick replacement, and full restoration are scheduled in the standard working season.

Historic Landmark Districts Require Landmark Commission Approval

Buildings in Chicago Landmark Districts, including Old Town Triangle, Prairie Avenue, Astor Street, and other designated districts, require Commission on Chicago Landmarks review for exterior masonry work. Arrow prepares the material samples, mortar analyses, and scope documentation that landmark applications typically require. Historic-appropriate lime mortars and reversible techniques are used where the landmark scope calls for them.

What Clients Say

Reviews From Chicago Property Owners and Managers

Please accept this letter of heartfelt thanks for the craftsmanship and dedication that your work crew has shown in repairing our aging church. While the exterior was starting to sag, our worship life is thriving. Now our exterior can exemplify the wonderful life and energy that God is doing in the lives of our members and the interior of our church. Your crew has been courteous and diligent, obliging every special request that we have given. On behalf of the people of Luther Memorial, and the church council in particular, I thank you. Please know that I am happy to be reference if you should ever need one.

Rev. Timothy B Chicago, IL Luther Memorial Church of Chicago

Thank you so much for the wonderful masonry work on our home. Your workman were quick, efficient, neat and utterly professional. We’re very pleased.

Fey, C Chicago, IL

I just wanted to let you know how pleased we are with the work your company did for us. The masonry at the front entrance looks wonderful. It’s a pleasure to sit in the backyard and not have to watch the garage crumble right in front of us. Best of all, the cleaning up afterward was superb. The crew swept the patio and the garage far cleaner than it ever had been. I was pleased and surprised when I came home that evening and drove into such a well-swept garage. We really appreciate the way in which the workers did their jobs. We would be happy to serve as a reference for your company in the future.

Carol Y Chicago, IL

I am writing to commend the exemplary efforts of Joe, the foreman who supervised a late October project where I live.Joe was always available by telephone. He was receptive to my requested, handling them in a most timely manner. His demeanor was nothing less than professional, polite, and accommodating throughout the entire job. In today’s workforce his qualities are rare and must help to ensure customer loyalty, as I’m sure you would agree. Furthermore, and as a result, I will strongly recommend ARROW MASONRY AND EXTERIORS whenever asked. Please thank Joe for me.

Slatter, B Chicago, IL

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Full Service Capabilities

What Arrow Handles in Chicago

Properties We Serve

Townhome Associations
Condo Associations
Multi-Unit Communities
Apartment Buildings
Commercial and mixed-use structures
Churches
Schools
Industrial, factory, and manufacturing buildings

Materials We Work On

Exterior Walls of Brick
Split-Face Concrete Block
Smooth Face Concrete Block
Limestone
Greystone
Flag Stone
Cultured Stone
Z-Brick
Panel Brick

Services We Offer

Tuckpointing and Mortar Joint Restoration
Masonry Repair and Restoration
Brick Replacement and Spalling Repair
Stone Repair and Restoration
Limestone Sill and Capstone Replacement
Deflected Limestone Sill Resetting
Lintel Replacement
Chimney Rebuilding and Tuckpointing
Split Face Block Repair and Leak Sealing
Parapet Wall Rebuilds for Leaning or Bowing Walls
Clay Tile Coping Repair and Replacement
Crumbling Mortar Repair
Efflorescence Removal

Arrow also helps property owners correct municipal code violations and failed facade inspections. Request a quote online 24/7 or call (847) 776-6400. Arrow can usually schedule an on-site inspection within 24 hours.

Commercial Tuckpointing, Masonry & Brick Repair in Chicago