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Serving Yakima, WA and surrounding areas. (509) 654-9682
A brick wall is one of the most durable things you can add to your property - but only if it is built on the right footing for Yakima's soil and climate. We get that foundation right every time.
Brick wall installation in Yakima, WA involves digging and pouring a concrete footing below the frost line, laying bricks course by course in mortar sized for the local climate, and - for walls holding back soil - installing drainage behind the wall as it goes up, with most residential projects completed in two days to two weeks depending on length and height.
Brick is one of the most durable materials you can use on a Yakima property, but the wall is only as permanent as what sits below it. A footing that does not reach below the frost line will shift as the ground freezes and thaws over Yakima winters, and a wall built on shifting ground will crack, lean, or pull apart over time. Getting the footing depth and width right for Yakima's soil conditions is where most of the important work happens - before the first brick is ever laid.
For walls with significant mortar joint wear or isolated brick damage, our brick repair service can address individual sections without rebuilding the entire wall - a good option when the structure and footing are still sound.
A brick wall that is no longer straight up and down is telling you something is wrong with its foundation or the soil behind it. In Yakima's clay-heavy soils, seasonal moisture changes can push a wall out of plumb over several years. A leaning wall is not just an eyesore - it is a safety concern, and it will not fix itself.
If you can see cracks - especially ones that run diagonally or follow the mortar lines between bricks - the wall has shifted or the mortar has deteriorated. In Yakima, this often happens after hard winters where repeated freeze-thaw cycles worked water into small gaps and expanded them. Small cracks can sometimes be repaired, but widespread cracking may mean rebuilding from the footing up.
Many Yakima homeowners add a brick wall when they redesign their outdoor space - to create a raised planting bed, define a patio edge, or add privacy along a property line. If you are already disturbing the ground for landscaping, this is the right time to add a wall, because the site preparation work overlaps and the costs are lower when combined.
If you have a sloped yard and notice soil washing toward your driveway, foundation, or neighbor's property after Yakima's spring rain and snowmelt, a brick retaining wall can hold that slope in place permanently. Left unaddressed, eroding slopes can undermine foundations and create drainage problems that are expensive to fix later.
Every brick wall we build starts with a poured concrete footing dug to below Yakima's frost line - typically 18 to 24 inches, depending on the site. We do not skip this step or reduce the depth to cut time or cost, because a footing that sits in soil that freezes will shift, and a wall built on a shifting footing will crack. From there, bricks go in course by course with mortar mixed and applied consistently so joints are even, tight, and hold up through the temperature swings Yakima winters bring. For walls that need to retain soil, we install drainage gravel behind the wall as construction proceeds and include weep holes at the base so water has a path out rather than building pressure against the bricks.
We handle permits for every project that requires them. In Yakima, most brick walls above a certain height need a building permit from the City of Yakima, and retaining walls may require engineering review as well. If you are pairing a brick wall with new hardscaping, we can also handle your stone masonry if you want a combination of brick and natural stone in the same project. For properties where older brick needs attention rather than full replacement, our brick repair service covers repointing, spalling, and isolated brick replacement on walls where the structure is still sound.
Best for homeowners who want to define a raised planting bed, a border, or a tiered landscaping feature at a lower height that adds structure and curb appeal to the yard.
Best for homeowners who want a permanent, low-maintenance alternative to wood fencing along a property line or around an outdoor patio or sitting area.
Best for properties with slopes, grade changes, or erosion problems where the wall needs to hold back soil pressure and include drainage to handle Yakima's clay soil conditions.
Best for homeowners who want a low wall that frames a driveway, walkway, or front yard entry in a style that fits the character of an older Yakima neighborhood.
Yakima's climate creates two problems that affect every brick wall in the valley. The first is the freeze-thaw cycle. Winter temperatures here regularly drop below freezing and then climb back above it within the same week. Water that works its way into mortar joints expands as it freezes and contracts as it thaws - and that repeated movement cracks poorly mixed or insufficiently cured mortar over time. A mason who has built walls in Yakima knows to use mortar formulated for this climate and to avoid laying brick in the days before a hard freeze is expected. Homeowners in Selah and nearby communities have seen this firsthand: older walls built with generic mortar start showing joint failure after a decade or less in this climate.
The second factor is Yakima's soil. Much of the Yakima Valley sits on silt and clay deposited by ancient flood events, and clay soil expands when wet and shrinks when dry. A footing that does not go deep enough, or is not wide enough to distribute the load on this kind of soil, will move with seasonal moisture changes and crack the wall above it. This is especially relevant in the established neighborhoods of Union Gap and similar areas where older homes were sometimes built on footings that would not meet today's standards. Getting footing depth right in Yakima is not optional - it is the difference between a wall that lasts a generation and one that needs to be rebuilt in ten years.
We reply within one business day. You will talk to someone who asks about the wall's location, approximate length and height, and what you want it to do - enough information to give you a rough price range before a site visit.
We visit your property, walk the site, and look at ground conditions, slope, and access. We check whether a permit is required based on the wall's planned height and location. You receive a written estimate that breaks down labor, materials, and any permit fees - not a single number.
We handle the permit application with the City of Yakima for any wall that requires one. We also coordinate underground utility marking through Washington 811 before digging begins. Once permits are approved, you get a confirmed start date.
We dig and pour the concrete footing, let it cure, then lay brick course by course. The city inspector visits to sign off on the permit. We walk you through the curing period - mortar reaches full strength in about 28 days - so you know what to expect before the wall is ready for load.
Free written estimate before work begins - permits, footing depth, and materials all covered upfront.
(509) 654-9682We dig to at least 18 to 24 inches on every brick wall project - deep enough to sit below Yakima's frost line and stay stable through the freeze-thaw cycles that crack walls built on shallow footings. We explain the depth we plan to use before we start, so you understand why it matters.
Mortar is not one-size-fits-all. We use mixes suited for the temperature swings and moisture conditions common in the Yakima Valley. We also do not lay brick when a hard freeze is expected within 24 hours - fresh mortar that freezes before it cures loses its bond strength and will fail early.
We pull building permits with the City of Yakima as a standard part of the job, not an upsell. A wall that passes city inspection gives you a permanent record that it was built safely - which matters when you sell your home. You should not have to track down permits yourself or wonder if the work was done to code.
Established Yakima neighborhoods - particularly the areas with homes from the 1920s through the 1960s - have a character that generic materials do not match. We help you choose a brick style that looks like it belongs, using knowledge of what has been used in the area rather than just picking whatever is in the catalog.
Brick walls built on proper footings and correctly mixed mortar routinely outlast the homeowners who commissioned them. The Brick Industry Association publishes technical standards for residential masonry that cover footing depth, mortar specification, and drainage requirements - and those are the standards we build to on every Yakima project.
Combine brick and natural stone in the same project, or choose stone for sections where a different texture and character suits the space.
Learn MoreIf the structure of your existing wall is still sound, targeted brick repair can address spalling, cracked mortar joints, and damaged individual bricks without a full rebuild.
Learn MoreSpring is the best season for brick wall installation in Yakima - lock in your start date now before the prime booking window closes and waiting times stretch into summer.