Spalling Brick

[pgoodcake]

Hello,

Has anyone encountered and repaired spalling brick? The house in question was built somewhere between 1920 -1940.

Thanks in advance for your help

 

[malcolm]

Between wars was a funny era. They started using portland cement but the bricks weren't up to living without lime mortar to evaporate water away.

You can't save a brick that has been set in cement. The fix is to break it out and put another brick in.

 

[Feltwell]

If you're very careful with a decent plugging chisel you might be able to get it out whole and turn it round, I've done that before, even in cement mortar. Quite a thick mortar bed there, so going round it and drilling lots of holes in the mortar would help start it off.

But if you've got some matching spare bricks then just chain drill some holes down the middle of it and whack it out with a bolster or cold chisel, much easier.

 

[Gothichome]

I just replaced a couple spalled bricks on our home. As mentioned, chisel it out and replace if you have some spare original brick laying about. I have never tried to save spalled brick and swapping back to front. I used a hydrated lime mortar.

 

[paulc]

If you're very careful with a decent plugging chisel you might be able to get it out whole and turn it round,

I've used a pad saw (as used for hacking plasterboard/drywall) in the past to cut a brick out of lime mortar. Makes a mess of the saw eventually.

 

[pgoodcake]

Thank you all!

Has anyone sealed the brick to prevent further spalling, or does that increase spalling by retaining moisture in the brick?

 

[Lacan07]

Thank you all!

Has anyone sealed the brick to prevent further spalling, or does that increase spalling by retaining moisture in the brick?

That's an option if you'd prefer, you use lime mortar. I find it's usually best to apply with a plastering trowel. It won't last as long as turning the brick around though.

 

[Feltwell]

Thank you all!

Has anyone sealed the brick to prevent further spalling, or does that increase spalling by retaining moisture in the brick?

If you mean painting on a clear silicone waterproofer on all the good bricks, it's not generally considered to be a good idea, for the reason you state.

If you've just got 1 odd brick that's spalled and the rest are OK it may be that it was damaged in the past and let moisture in, or it was a soft one from a cooler part of the kiln when it was fired, or it had a crack in it that let moisture in - in other words, change that brick and don't worry about the rest.

 

[pgoodcake]

If bricks are deteriorated to the point of needing replaced, should I replace with antique, used bricks (won't they eventually deteriorate too?) or try to find a modern brick that looks antique if there is such a thing?

Does this house need repointing with lime mortar to prevent further spalling?

 

[Cubist]

If bricks are deteriorated to the point of needing replaced, should I replace with antique, used bricks (won't they eventually deteriorate too?) or try to find a modern brick that looks antique if there is such a thing?

Does this house need repointing with lime mortar to prevent further spalling?

Entropy is kind of unavoidable and ultimately all things will turn to dust - even bricks, But.... you can delay that outcome a bit by following some of the advice already given.

Using new or old bricks though is a personal choice and either is likely to outlast you or I.

 

[Feltwell]

If bricks are deteriorated to the point of needing replaced, should I replace with antique, used bricks (won't they eventually deteriorate too?) or try to find a modern brick that looks antique if there is such a thing?

Does this house need repointing with lime mortar to prevent further spalling?

I agree with Cubist, it matters not. We have buildings many hundreds of years old with original bricks! I've a Roman city remains near me (Wroxeter) that has many bricks in it's remains that have survived around 2,000 years of the beautiful British weather so far - though admittedly they were buried for a fair chunk of that.

Mortar - the current cement based mortar is that original? If the house is 80 to 100 years old, built with cement based mortar and you've got no widespread problem with spalling, don't try to fix a problem that isn't there. You've not said how many bricks are spalled. The odd brick after that many years is really not a sign of a problem.

 

[pgoodcake]

There are less than 15 bricks that are spalling.

 

[Feltwell]

I wouldn't let it worry you too much then.

 

[pgoodcake]

That's a relief

Thanks for your help everyone!