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Brickwork repair and restoration

Brick is durable and long lived as long as the mortar joints are sound.

Common problems with brick walls

Deteriorated pointing affects many houses. Driving water penetrates the cement, the water is absorbed by the cement and when the temprature outside is low enough, the water freezes, making it expand, this then forces the cement from the brickwork.

Mortar starts to disintegrate between the bricks, which can cause the entire wall to collapse or single bricks to crumble. Dirty or stained brickwork can be caused by moisture, time, dirt kicked up against the wall by rain. Efflorescene results from bricks getting wet, which leaves deposits of salts that are drawn out of the masonry as the moisture evaporates.

Spalled bricks are caused by regular water presence on the brick, the expansion of freezing water breaks off the top surface of the brick, leaving the inner surface exposed. After time, most of these bricks will crumble completely

Solution

Weak or damaged pointing should be removed to a depth of approximaltley 10-20mm and replaced.

If the outer face of the brick is damaged it is best to replace or it may cause further damp problems.

To stop further deteriation, Permashied Clearshield can be applied. Clearshield can be used on any porous material to protect against penetrating damp. It will not block the pores in the masonry allowing for water vapour to excape from the inside.