Masonry Contractor in Imperial County, CA

Imperial Valley summers regularly pass 110 degrees, and the air is dry. That is hard on mortar. Mortar needs water to cure, and in that heat it can dry out before it gains strength, which leaves weak, crumbly joints and veneer that lets go. So in summer we start early and stop before the worst of the afternoon, mix mortar in small batches so none of it sits in the sun, keep the block and stone out of direct sun, and keep finished work shaded and damp while it cures. It is slower, and it is the difference between a wall that lasts and one that cracks in its first year.

Much of the valley sits on clay that swells when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries. A block wall on that clay moves with it unless the footing is built for it, and that is where most cracked and leaning block walls start. Before we build a wall we look at the soil and the drainage around it, size the footing and the steel for the wall's height, and put control joints in long runs so movement lands at a joint instead of cracking across the face. Where a soils report or an engineered design is needed, we say so. The valley is also earthquake country, so block walls are built reinforced and grouted, not just stacked.

Wind and dust are the third thing. New block walls are braced until the grout sets, and fresh joints are covered so blowing dust does not end up in them. Here is how it goes in Imperial County: send photos and rough measurements, and we talk it through by phone first. If the job is a fit, such as a long block wall, a house front in stone or brick, or a fireplace, we come out, look at the site, and give you a written scope. Small repairs are hard to justify on the drive from Hemet, and we will tell you that up front.