Brick and stone sealing that lets the wall breathe
Sealing exterior brick or stone in Scranton costs $2 to $5 per square foot with a penetrating silane/siloxane repellent, so a typical two-story double runs $1,200 to $4,000 including the repointing that usually has to come first. The product soaks a quarter inch into the masonry and lines the pores so liquid water beads off while vapor still escapes. That last part matters more here than almost anywhere. Coal-era brick from the valley yards was fired softer than modern brick, it absorbs more water, and a film-forming sealer over it traps moisture that then freezes and pops the face off the brick. We test absorption with a water tube before and after, apply only to walls that have been repointed, and the manufacturer warranties on the products we use run ten years on properly prepared masonry.
Part of the Anthracite Masonry Waterproofing service list for Scranton. Full ranges on the cost guide.
What you are probably seeing
- ■Brick faces flaking or popping off (spalling) on the weather side of the house
- ■White efflorescence streaks below windowsills and under the roofline
- ■Dark wet patches that stay on the wall for days after rain
- ■Moss or green staining on north-facing stone
- ■Interior plaster bubbling on an exterior wall with no plumbing behind it
- ■Old clear sealer peeling in sheets, a sign a film-former was used
Penetrating repellent versus film-forming sealer
There are two products sold as brick sealer and only one belongs on a wall in this climate. Film-forming acrylics and urethanes sit on the surface like a coat of varnish. They look great for a season, then water that got in through a joint or a sill has no way out, freezes, and takes the brick face with it. Silane and siloxane repellents react chemically inside the pore structure instead. Nothing sits on the surface, the color does not change, and vapor moves through the wall the way it did before.
The catch is preparation. A repellent will not bridge an open joint, and it will not stop water coming down through a bad chimney crown or a failed sill. That is why a sealing job on an older Scranton house almost always starts with a walk around the wall to mark the joints that need repointing and the flashing that needs attention. Sealing a wall with open joints is spending money to keep the water in.
What a sealing job looks like on a valley double
We wash the wall first, usually low pressure with a masonry cleaner, and let it dry for two days. Open joints get repointed and cured. Then the repellent goes on in two wet-on-wet passes with a low pressure sprayer, working from the top down so the wall is saturated evenly. A water absorption tube on a treated brick versus an untreated one shows the difference in minutes, and we leave that test result with you.
Timing matters. Product needs the wall above about forty degrees and dry, which in Scranton means May through October for exterior work. We book fall sealing jobs early because the window closes fast once the first frost hits.
How the job runs
- 1
Wall inspection and absorption test
We mark open joints, failed sills and crown or flashing problems, and run a water tube test to see how fast the brick drinks.
- 2
Clean and repoint
Low pressure wash, then the marked joints are repointed and cured for at least a week before any product goes on.
- 3
Two-pass application
Silane/siloxane repellent applied wet-on-wet from the top of the wall down, until the masonry stops taking product.
- 4
Re-test and document
The tube test is repeated on the treated wall so you can see the absorption drop, and the product data sheet stays with your paperwork.
What this work costs in Scranton
| Job type | Typical range | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior brick and stone sealing (silane/siloxane penetrating repellent) | $1,200 to $4,000per house ($2 to $5 per sq ft) | Wall area, how much repointing has to happen first, two-story access, soft coal-era brick that drinks more product |
| Repointing and tuckpointing | $1,500 to $6,000per job ($10 to $25 per sq ft) | Joint depth, lime mortar matching on pre-1930 walls, scaffold height, how much loose brick has to be reset |
Every job type with what moves it is on the cost guide.
Questions about brick and stone sealing
- How much does it cost to seal a brick house in Scranton?
- Plan on $2 to $5 per square foot of wall, so $1,200 to $4,000 for a typical two-story double. The low end is a clean modern brick wall with sound joints. The high end includes repointing, two-story access and soft coal-era brick that takes more product.
- Will sealing change the color of my brick or stone?
- No. Penetrating silane/siloxane repellents leave no film and no sheen. Film-forming sealers are the ones that darken or add gloss, and those are the ones we will not put on an older wall here.
- How long does brick sealing last?
- The products we use carry ten-year manufacturer warranties on properly prepared masonry, and in practice a treated wall keeps beading water for eight to twelve years. Joints and sills usually need attention before the repellent does.
- Can you seal brick in winter?
- Not reliably. The wall has to be dry and above about forty degrees for the product to cure, so exterior sealing in the Lackawanna Valley runs May through October. Interior foundation work goes year round.
- Do I still need sealing if I just repointed?
- Often yes, on the weather side. Fresh mortar handles joint leaks, but soft brick faces still absorb water through the unit itself, and that is the water that spalls the face in February. Sealing after repointing is the combination that lasts.
Get a written price
Address first, then what you see. We call back with the range and a time for the hose test. Or call (570) 909-2820.