Hi,
I had an extension built in 2010 ago and I am worried about the mortar.
In quite a few places the mortar has "pulled back" from the brick, in other places small gaps have appeared in the mortar and the mortar around the gaps looks rough where elsewhere it is smooth.
Initially I was worried the mortar was too soft and falling out so I dug out a section and found that rather than soft it seems really hard. It took quite some hitting with a hammer and screwdriver to remove it. Also it is hard to remove any more mortar from the gaps, it is not at all sandy.
I have uploaded a photo of one of the gaps. You can see where the mortar is missing and also the surrounding mortar has lost it's smoothness.
Is this normal for a 8 year old wall? The other walls of my house are 60 years old and the mortar still looks really good.
My worry, and I must admit I do tend to imagine the worse, is that the whole extension will become like this over time. There are currently maybe 10 places on the wall that show similar signs.
Also in places I am still getting efflorescence, not from the bricks anymore but just on the mortar. Should this have stopped by now? There is a dpc and the efflorescence is about half way up the gable end.
My thoughts are it's:
1) Bad pointing/bad workmanship, leaving soft spots which have weakened over time.
2) Frost damage, it's a north facing gable end that receives no sunlight during the winter.
3) The mortar mix is too hard and it cannot take the normal expansion/contraction of the wall. So it's cracking and bits are falling out.
4) There is an additive in the mortar (possibly washing up liquid) that is reacting or causing the efflorescence and then somehow destroying the mortar at that point.
I am happy that the mortar seems really strong and after 8 years there is limited damage but that doesn't stop the worry.
In my mind it should be 10's of years before any mortar needs repointing, but maybe I am wrong.
I want to go back to the builder but my wife thinks he will just laugh at me and tell me to get a life, she maybe right!
Any help gratefully received, thanks.
I had an extension built in 2010 ago and I am worried about the mortar.
In quite a few places the mortar has "pulled back" from the brick, in other places small gaps have appeared in the mortar and the mortar around the gaps looks rough where elsewhere it is smooth.
Initially I was worried the mortar was too soft and falling out so I dug out a section and found that rather than soft it seems really hard. It took quite some hitting with a hammer and screwdriver to remove it. Also it is hard to remove any more mortar from the gaps, it is not at all sandy.
I have uploaded a photo of one of the gaps. You can see where the mortar is missing and also the surrounding mortar has lost it's smoothness.
Is this normal for a 8 year old wall? The other walls of my house are 60 years old and the mortar still looks really good.
My worry, and I must admit I do tend to imagine the worse, is that the whole extension will become like this over time. There are currently maybe 10 places on the wall that show similar signs.
Also in places I am still getting efflorescence, not from the bricks anymore but just on the mortar. Should this have stopped by now? There is a dpc and the efflorescence is about half way up the gable end.
My thoughts are it's:
1) Bad pointing/bad workmanship, leaving soft spots which have weakened over time.
2) Frost damage, it's a north facing gable end that receives no sunlight during the winter.
3) The mortar mix is too hard and it cannot take the normal expansion/contraction of the wall. So it's cracking and bits are falling out.
4) There is an additive in the mortar (possibly washing up liquid) that is reacting or causing the efflorescence and then somehow destroying the mortar at that point.
I am happy that the mortar seems really strong and after 8 years there is limited damage but that doesn't stop the worry.
In my mind it should be 10's of years before any mortar needs repointing, but maybe I am wrong.
I want to go back to the builder but my wife thinks he will just laugh at me and tell me to get a life, she maybe right!
Any help gratefully received, thanks.
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