Any part of the house made of brick lends its charming appeal to the entire structure, which is why an increasing number of homeowners are now choosing brick for their kitchen, living room, patio and other areas. Sure, the brick driveway and the brick pavement are pleasant to look at, but bricks are also prone to the wear and tear caused by natural and man-made elements. Here are some of the most common brick problems encountered by homeowners.
Excessive Brick Wear – This can be caused by different conditions but the usual reason is the improper curing of the brick itself.- Cracking and Spalling – When heated and cooled, a brick expands and contracts respectively. If these happen, bricks will have cracks in them.
- Small Holes and Chips - Chipping and holes are also commonly found on bricks which have been installed for a long period of time already.
- Loose Bricks - This usually happens when the installation process is not properly done. Pieces of bricks become unstable and eventually knock off from the entire pattern.
- Erosion and Weed Growth - When the ground under the bricks is unstable, erosion could occur. Weeds also grow in between the bricks, causing it to become unsightly.
Do not get disheartened if your beautiful brick work has incurred several damages because you can still fix these problems. Make sure to repair the brick work as soon as possible to avoid it from getting worse. In that regard, here are some simple do-it-yourself tips in repairing the damaged bricks in your house.
- Get rid of the weeds by pulling them out and filling the spaces in between bricks with grout.
- Seal the holes with grout or cement. Make sure you apply it evenly on the surface.
- Drill a series of holes in the mortar on the wall surrounding the brick.
- After you have drilled holes all around the damaged brick, it will feel loose and you can use the chisel to let it loose and to clear the mortar.
- Clean the surface with a stiff brush and make sure that the spot is dust-free.
- Wet the area with water to keep the surrounding bricks from absorbing moisture from the new mortar that you are going to apply.
- Use bricks that exactly match your wall especially when it comes to size to make the repair successful.
- As much as possible, select a brick that completely matches the color of the entire brick work.
