Bulging Brick Wall (built 1901) in Brooklyn (side wall)

18 years ago

I am a homeowner in Brooklyn, NY - area where many townhomes (brownstones) exist which date back to 1900's.

I have had this home for 2 years. It is a 3 story attached home. 2 Years ago, I renovated the 1st floor and recently I renovated the basement (just as a background info).

Much like most homes here - my home is attached to homes on both sides. On one side, the townhome is identical in height; on the other side, however, there is a 2 story home (shorter) exposing the top 1/3 of my brick home to nature. This side wall is bricks covered by stucco and is the matter for my writing.

There seems to be a bulge on the side of the wall exposed to air - seems to be in the center area (2nd to 3rd floor area) of the side wall. From the roof top (top to bottom view), I see that the stucco where the roof and wall meets is very brittle (I can easily take chunks of stucco off of it with my own hands). It seems to bulge out as the wall gets few feet lower from the roof and then back to "more" normal (pregnant look). I also looked at from my backyard from a ladder (side angle/view), and you see the bulge although you have to look at it very keenly to see the bulge. It isn't so bad that it is readily noticeable.

I had 2 masonry 'contractors' came in for their recommendations.

1 - one said it is very bad and said it needed complete makeover. He asked if I did renovations recently and how the inspector missed the bulge 2 years ago when I bought the place. From my memory - I never til today looked at the side wall, so I am not sure if this is a new problem or if it was always this way when I bought it. As I stated earlier - I did renovate the 1st floor and basement but am not sure how that would impact the bulge. When I balked at not having necessary funds to totally re-do the wall, he said I should at least do re-pointing for $8500. Intent being "stop the bad progression of the bulge" and make sure it doesn't get worse. I wasn't sure how re-pointing would just stop the situation from getting worse.

2 - one said it's not that big a deal but he recommended that I "water proof" the entire side wall with "Terra" (?) coat and re-do some stucco in some areas needed for $2600. He did not think re-pointing would do anything since bricks are covered by stucco all around.

One other general contractor who is a family friend looked at it and said neither of the above proposal would do any good and just leave it alone. He thinks it will be fine for a long time. Thus, I have 3 vastly different advices.

Any experiences out there with old brick homes with this sort of problem?

thank you in advance

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Comments (5)

User
18 years ago
Although some masonry contractors are very knowledgeable they have widely varying levels of expertise. Since you have no consensus, I would get a structural engineer to evaluate it.

I too have a brick/brownstone rowhouse in Brooklyn. Although old brick does absorb moisture to some extent, stucco and/or waterproofing over brick is unnecessary unless your interior walls are getting moisture damage. Otherwise, brick should be left exposed to release the moisture. Stucco and waterproofing often create a moisture problem with your interior walls by trapping moisture in the brick which can't evaporate.

Pointing is not going to do a thing for a bulging wall. You may need pointing if the cement is missing/crumbling but that's a separate issue.

It's not unheard of that side walls fail to the point of needing to be rebuilt and you might need to do that but consult at least one engineer to determine whether something something less extensive will work. If you need to rebuild, get at least 3 prices for the job and check references.

Just curious: Re the contractor who wanted $8500 for pointing, how many and what size walls would he be pointing for that much. And how much did he want to rebuild 1 story of 1 side wall ?

I think you need to keep getting opinions until at least 2 of them match.
kframe19
18 years ago
I agree, you need to have either a structural engineer or an architect who works a lot with older buildings look at the situation.

The first thing that needs to be determined is if that wall is in motion, or if the bulge is something that's existed for a long time.

If it's in motion, you're going to need to move quickly.
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hendricus
18 years ago
Could the stucco be coming loose from the bricks, much like plaster can bow on an interior wall? If so, I would go with the third recommendation, do nothing.
brickeyee
18 years ago
"Could the stucco be coming loose from the bricks..."

A distinct possibility.
If you are worried enough to do some work, remove some if the interior wall and check from inside.
PRO
Business Service
7 months ago
I’m a homeowner in Brooklyn, NY, living in a classic early-1900s attached brownstone, so this situation really caught my attention. Many homes here have exposed party walls when the neighboring building is shorter, and over time those walls take a lot of weather abuse. A bulging stucco-covered brick wall-especially between the 2nd and 3rd floors-can be caused by long-term moisture intrusion, failing ties, deteriorated mortar, or expansion behind the stucco. Brittle stucco near the roofline is often a sign that water has been getting in for years.

From what I’ve learned, simple repointing alone usually doesn’t stop an active bulge, and waterproof coatings can sometimes trap moisture if the underlying masonry isn’t addressed properly. Old Brooklyn brownstones often need a careful evaluation that looks beyond surface repairs. Anyone dealing with similar issues may benefit from consulting experienced Brickwork Contractors in Brooklyn, NY who specialize in historic masonry, exposed side walls, and structural brick repair rather than just cosmetic fixes.

Curious to hear from others who’ve dealt with bulging brick or stucco failure on older townhomes-especially what solutions actually held up long term.