Cleaning/Pointing Brickwork

crazyk69 · 16 Jun 2006

hi

i have just pointed a large area of my house because of damp. when i angle grinded the old mortar out it was dry (i didn't dampen it) so it caused a bit of a mess. the bricks are now covered in a white film, some of it could be effulence. what is the best way to get the bricks back to there original colour. Also what is the best way to prevent this happeing again. the house was built in the late 60's. thanks

ian

Richard C · 16 Jun 2006

Pressure washer!

crazyk69 · 21 Jun 2006

does the pressure washer not damage brickwork? there are also some mortar stains where new bricks have been added to block up vents etc. i've had a brush and water on these, it doesn't seem to have shifted much.

also how do i stop this happening again when i do the pointing?

thanks

Richard C · 21 Jun 2006

crazyk69 said:
does the pressure washer not damage brickwork? there are also some mortar stains where new bricks have been added to block up vents etc. i've had a brush and water on these, it doesn't seem to have shifted much.

also how do i stop this happening again when i do the pointing?

thanks

No, at least not the sort of pressure a DIY unit can offer up; but avoid directing the jet directly into the mortar joints! I've used my DIY washer to very good effect for removing both algae & mortar stains from the brickwork of the 1960’s property I’m renovating.

As far as preventing it happening again, you just need to be more careful! Don't make the mortar mix too sloppy & if you dampen the raked joints first you can use a stiff mix which doesn’t run everywhere & stain the face of the brick so easily. You should also use a plasticizer as it make the mortar far more workable & helps it adhere more easily instead of falling into heaps on the ground!

Technique is also important; I form a line of mortar onto the face of a plastering trowel, feed this into the raked out joint with a small pointing trowel & then finish off a small area at a time with a pointing tool.

crazyk69 · 24 Jun 2006

thanks richard

hondacrm · 24 Jun 2006

How about using a suitable grade of wire wool and water?

ratboy13 · 30 Jan 2009

DAMP IS VERY UN LIKELY TO HOVE COME FROM POINTING BEING IN POOR CONDITION. SUGGEST YOU CHECK ,GUTTERS AND DOWN PIPE 4 LEEKS OVER FLOWING . AROUND WINDOWS CHECK MASTIC.DAMP COURSE SHOULD BE 2BRICKES ABOVE GROUND LEVEL MINAMUM. BRICKES CAN BE CLEANED WITH STIFF BRUSH IF SALT LIKE.

breezer · 31 Jan 2009

ratboy13, i dont suppose the crazyk69 is worried, he only asked in 2006

Posted: Fri Jun 16, 2006

and stopped posting in Feb 2007

Please check the date a post was made before you reply

Richard C · 31 Jan 2009

Even better one at 3 years old.

weemantam · 24 Sep 2009

Excuse my noobieness.... but would an appropriate plasticizer be PVA glue? And if so/not how much shiould I use in a typical 4-1 mix?

Ta

cmother1 · 24 Sep 2009

No, not PVA. The poor man's plasticiser is a good squirt of washing up liquid to a bucket of water. Or you can buy a gallon of the real stuff & mix according to instructions ....

Richard C · 24 Sep 2009

Febmix

weemantam · 24 Sep 2009

Braw

Thanks guys.

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Cleaning/Pointing Brickwork

breezer

cmother1

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