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Serving Ankeny, IA and surrounding areas. (515) 963-5532
A brick wall done right does not crack after the first hard winter or lean after a wet spring. We set every footing below the Iowa frost line and use mortar suited to our climate so your wall holds its shape for generations.
Brick wall installation in Ankeny starts with a concrete footing dug below the frost line - typically around 42 inches for this part of Iowa - then brick laid course by course with mortar matched to our freeze-thaw climate. A short garden wall or decorative border can be done in a day or two; a full privacy wall or longer boundary wall takes one to two weeks depending on length and height.
The two things that determine whether a brick wall holds up in Iowa are the depth of the footing and the quality of the mortar joints. Shallow footings shift when the ground freezes. Mortar that was mixed wrong or applied in cold weather crumbles within a few winters and lets water in - which accelerates every other kind of damage. We take both of those details seriously on every project, regardless of wall size. If your wall plans include areas that will need regular maintenance or were repaired in the past, brick repair is something we assess at the same time so nothing is missed.
Most masonry walls above a certain height require a building permit from the City of Ankeny before construction begins. We pull that permit, coordinate the inspection, and make sure the project is fully above board before we consider the job finished.
Cracks that run diagonally through the mortar in a stair-step pattern are a sign the wall has shifted at the base. In Ankeny, this is often caused by clay soil moving as it absorbs and releases moisture over the seasons. Small cracks can sometimes be repointed, but a wall with widespread stair-step cracking usually has a footing problem that requires a full rebuild.
A wall that is no longer plumb - leaning to one side or bulging in the middle - is a safety concern, not just a cosmetic issue. In Ankeny, this kind of movement is often tied to clay soil shifting beneath the footing, especially after a wet spring or a hard freeze cycle. Once a wall starts to lean, it rarely corrects itself and typically needs to come down and be rebuilt on a properly prepared foundation.
If you can press on the mortar between bricks and it crumbles or falls away, the wall has lost structural integrity in those areas. This is common in Ankeny homes built in the 1970s and 1980s, where original mortar has been through 40 or 50 Iowa winters. Crumbling mortar lets water into the wall, which accelerates damage - especially once freeze-thaw cycles begin each fall.
Ankeny homeowners putting in a patio, fire pit, or backyard seating area often want a brick wall to anchor the space and provide separation from neighbors. A new wall is much easier to build as part of the original project than to add later around finished hardscape. If you are planning an outdoor living upgrade, now is the right time to scope the wall alongside it.
We build garden walls, privacy walls, decorative landscape borders, and boundary walls in standard clay brick, thin brick, and tumbled brick. Every project starts with a concrete footing set below the frost line - because a wall without that foundation will shift in Iowa's climate, regardless of how good the brickwork looks on top. Brick choice, bond pattern, and mortar joint style are all your decisions; we bring the structural knowledge that makes those choices last. If you want to address existing crumbling mortar on older sections of brickwork at the same time, brick repair can be scoped alongside new installation so everything is handled in one project.
For homeowners who want a natural stone wall rather than brick, stone masonry gives you the same structural durability in limestone, fieldstone, or granite. Both materials are handled with the same footing standards and mortar specifications suited to Iowa winters. We handle all permit applications with the City of Ankeny, check HOA guidelines before any design is finalized, and include a full site cleanup at the end of every project day.
Suited for homeowners who want a low brick border to define garden beds, steps, or planting areas with a clean, permanent edge.
Best for homeowners who want a taller wall for visual separation from the street or neighbors, built to code height with a permitted footing.
For homeowners building a defined front entry, courtyard, or outdoor room where the wall is a design feature as much as a boundary.
For homeowners with a brick wall that has shifted, cracked, or lost its mortar - assessed and rebuilt from the base up so the problem does not return.
Ankeny's freeze-thaw cycle is the single biggest threat to any masonry wall built here without accounting for it. Temperatures regularly drop below freezing in winter and swing well above it in spring - sometimes multiple times in the same week in February and March. Every cycle of freeze and thaw puts stress on mortar joints and on any moisture trapped inside the wall. That means the footing depth, the mortar mix, and the drainage around the wall base are not optional details - they are the difference between a wall that lasts generations and one that starts to crack and lean within a few years. The Brick Industry Association publishes technical standards for masonry in freeze-thaw climates that guide how we spec every wall project in this area. Additionally, the Iowa State University Extension provides guidance on frost depths relevant to residential construction in Polk County.
Ankeny's rapid growth means a mix of older homes - many near the original downtown with brick features from the 1970s and 1980s that have weathered decades of Iowa winters - alongside newer subdivisions where HOA rules often govern wall height, materials, and placement. Homeowners in Altoona and Bondurant face similar soil conditions and frost depth requirements. We check HOA documents before finalizing any wall design and build the City of Ankeny permit timeline into the project schedule from day one.
We reply within one business day. During a site visit, we look at where the wall will go, check the grade of the ground, ask about HOA rules if you are in a newer Ankeny neighborhood, and talk through brick styles and wall heights. You receive a written estimate that breaks down labor and materials separately.
If your wall requires a City of Ankeny building permit - common for walls above a certain height - we handle that application before any work begins. Permit processing typically takes a few business days to a couple of weeks. Once the permit is in hand, we confirm a start date with you.
Before any bricks go down, we mark the wall footprint, dig below the frost line to set the concrete footing, and let that base cure. This prep is the most important part of the whole project and takes real time. You may need to clear the area of plants, furniture, or other items beforehand.
Once the footing is solid, we lay bricks course by course - checking for level and plumb as we go. After the last brick is laid, we clean the site, wash mortar smears from the brick face, and coordinate any required city inspection. The mortar needs 24 to 48 hours before anything touches the wall.
Free on-site estimate. Written quote with no obligation. We reply within one business day.
(515) 963-5532For the Ankeny area, frost depth typically requires footings around 42 inches deep. We dig to the right depth on every wall project - not the minimum - because a footing that shifts in a hard Iowa freeze means a wall that cracks and leans. That one detail is what separates a wall that lasts generations from one that needs to be rebuilt in five years.
Using the wrong mortar mix in Iowa's climate is one of the most common reasons brick walls fail early. We use mortar formulated for repeated freeze-thaw cycles - not a generic mix - so the joints stay tight and water does not work its way in as the wall ages through each winter.
Most masonry walls in Ankeny above a certain height require a building permit and a city inspection. We pull the permit, handle the application, schedule the inspector, and make sure the work passes before we call the job done. Your wall is fully above board - no complications if you sell your home or need to make a claim.
Many of Ankeny's newer neighborhoods have association rules about wall height, materials, and placement. Finding out you have violated those rules after the wall is built is expensive and stressful. We ask about your HOA documents at the estimate stage so the design works within your neighborhood guidelines from the start.
Every one of these details points back to the same commitment: we build brick walls in Ankeny that look the same in year ten as they did on the day we finished, because we did not cut corners on the parts you never see.
Prefer the look of natural stone over brick? We build limestone, fieldstone, and granite walls with the same frost-line footings and climate-rated mortar.
Learn MoreExisting brickwork with crumbling mortar or shifted sections can be assessed and repaired at the same time as new wall construction.
Learn MoreSpring booking slots fill fast - reach out now to lock in your start date before the busy season gets away from you.