Insanely spalled bricks

[jlaw]

The rear of my house was rendered down to a patio, presumably for its entire life (late 70s build).

I have removed said render below the bell cast, and found heavily spalled bricks throughout.

Is it a case of just go bit by bit, replacing a few at a time?

The ones on the corner are completely shot, but could I get away with waterproofing and lime rendering the others?

Will of course be installing drainage / gravel along the base of the wall.

Any amazing ideas to get me out of this position?

2023 has truly been a terrible year.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

Crikey. I think you need to take that very seriously, it looks like they're struggling to hold up the wall above. I've never seen anything like it. It looks like the rain's been running behind the render skirting then freezing, plus they were possibly just crap bricks from day one.

I don't have an answer to your question, but I'd say it needs rebuilding from foundation to DPC, at least in selected places and possibly all of it. Obviously involving lots of propping.

Actually, morally wrong I know, if it was mine I'd probably render it and sell the place.

 

[jlaw]

Thanks for your reply, I dont think its struggling to hold up the wall, the corner ones are worse, but the others have a max of 5-10mm missing from the front, leaving a good 50-55mm of load bearing material.

Current plan is to rebuild everything from ground to under DPC in sections, 3-4 bricks at a time to negate the need for propping, Do the corner first, then work my way backwards.

 

[George_engineer]

This does not appear to the overloading, but the effect of inappropriate bricks combined with cement render. The render has trapped water in the bricks and freeze/thaw cycles have destroyed the bricks.

Yes replace a few at a time them but use frost resistant engineering bricks and M12 mortar.

(I'd probably do two bricks width from the ground up to the DPC then leave a few bricks, then another section. A bit like hit and miss underpinning.)

 

[jlaw]

This does not appear to the overloading, but the effect of inappropriate bricks combined with cement render. The render has trapped water in the bricks and freeze/thaw cycles have destroyed the bricks.

Yes replace a few at a time them but use frost resistant engineering bricks and M12 mortar.

(I'd probably do two bricks width from the ground up to the DPC then leave a few bricks, then another section. A bit like hit and miss underpinning.)

Exactly this, the other side of the house, rendered but down to gravel and not to a patio but to gravel is fine.

Looks like I've got a fun summer ahead!

 

[jeds]

It's a good example of hard cement render/plinth applied to prevent dampness, which actually causes severe dampness.

 

[noseall]

Thanks for your reply, I dont think its struggling to hold up the wall, the corner ones are worse, but the others have a max of 5-10mm missing from the front, leaving a good 50-55mm of load bearing material.

Current plan is to rebuild everything from ground to under DPC in sections, 3-4 bricks at a time to negate the need for propping, Do the corner first, then work my way backwards.

It's doable yes.
Use a solid engineering brick. Anything with a perf or frog will be a nightmare, when you try slotting in the last brick.