Any advice would be hugely appreciated. I have two garden walls that have previously been rendered. The render is cracking at the top and looks awful. I've been advised this may be because the capping stones have no drip channel underneath so any water is being directed back onto the render. I have removed some pieces that were literally hanging off and the bricks underneath are in a bad way. Any ideas what would be the best action I can take. Someone suggested removing all of the render and just leaving the brickwork but then another guy said the wall would only get worse and it needs protecting. I'm a lady on her own and am a little clueless as to what would be the best remedy. Would it be best to remove the cracked render to halfway down and then get it redone replacing the capping stones with something more suitable to prevent the water issue? Is there brick cladding that would cover the wall or some sort of screening? I don't have a big budget, I'm not moving any time soon so I don't want to have the same problem in a couple of years. I'm literally open to any suggestions....I'm a total dummy when it comes to this type of thing but don't want to get my eyes taken out. Thank you in advance!
garden walls..... render and brick damage at top
- Thread starter Gilly1976
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the damage to the bricks does look bad. I presume frost damage when they are wet. They look like soft red bricks, not flettons which are hard, pink and cheap, and notorious for frost damage.
If it was me I would be thinking about taking a few courses down and rebuilding with new bricks and better coping.
it might be that the bricks were already damaged when the coping and render were applied, for example if the property was being smartened up for sale.
A good bricklayer works very fast and neatly, if you can find one, and it might be less trouble and expense than repeatedly patching it.
You can get special hard bricks that will withstand damp and frost, they are rather expensive but I doubt you would need many if you took that route.
If it was me I would be thinking about taking a few courses down and rebuilding with new bricks and better coping.
it might be that the bricks were already damaged when the coping and render were applied, for example if the property was being smartened up for sale.
A good bricklayer works very fast and neatly, if you can find one, and it might be less trouble and expense than repeatedly patching it.
You can get special hard bricks that will withstand damp and frost, they are rather expensive but I doubt you would need many if you took that route.
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If it's just the surface face that's come of the bricks the rest will be fine, just look bad. But if you'll render again it's not a problem.
As above I'd due to the bricks getting wet and not being able to dry out, so the main thing is to keep the water from running back on to the wall. Once you've replaced the coping with something to keep the water off, you can replace the render.
As above I'd due to the bricks getting wet and not being able to dry out, so the main thing is to keep the water from running back on to the wall. Once you've replaced the coping with something to keep the water off, you can replace the render.
It does look like that top course of bricks was once the top of three un-rendered wall. Also they are too soft to resist the inevitable frost. The damage to the wall does appear to do further down, going by those horizontal lines.
Yes, a lack of a drip (groove) on the copings, plus a lack of a suitable overhang (copings for bare brick walls do not allow for the render) would be the main cause. But perished bricks are not always suitable for rendering over as they can still shed their surface and cause the render to detach. Once this happens, it just continues.
Bottom line, remove any perished bricks at the top, down as far as necessary, replace with quality frost resistant rated bricks, or better (and cheaper) still a dense concrete block, and then copings that have at least 50mm overhang past the render each side. If need be, have the builder cut a drip into the copings with a disk saw.
The bottom section of render could remain if it is sound, but this will be noticeable. Consider making a feature of the join with either a tile, or a slightly projecting course of brick, or band of render pattern.
Yes, a lack of a drip (groove) on the copings, plus a lack of a suitable overhang (copings for bare brick walls do not allow for the render) would be the main cause. But perished bricks are not always suitable for rendering over as they can still shed their surface and cause the render to detach. Once this happens, it just continues.
Bottom line, remove any perished bricks at the top, down as far as necessary, replace with quality frost resistant rated bricks, or better (and cheaper) still a dense concrete block, and then copings that have at least 50mm overhang past the render each side. If need be, have the builder cut a drip into the copings with a disk saw.
The bottom section of render could remain if it is sound, but this will be noticeable. Consider making a feature of the join with either a tile, or a slightly projecting course of brick, or band of render pattern.
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As always! however I think it's the longest post I've ever seen woody make, maybe he's slowing downWe think that's an excellent solution,Woody
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