Spalling Brickwork on Gable end

[monsho]

Hello all,

First post, please be gentle

Moved into our ex council house last year and noticed the paint starting to come off the bricks on the gable end, but then had large chunks of render and brickwork start falling off, the bricks seem very soft and are spalling.

I was wanting to know what options I have for sorting this, the previous owner looks to have been rendering sections where the brick has come away, but it doesn't seem to be a permanent solution.

Could I:

Render the full wall - is there a product which would go straight on (obviously with any loose material removed) or would the bricks underneath cause this to come off also?

External Wall insulation - again, does the wall have to be completely stable to get a proper fix

Replace individual bricks - seems a very difficult job

Any other suggestions?

Bit of a worry to be honest, and can see if costing a lot of money!

Untitled

• monsho
• 19 Mar 2015
• 1

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

I would look at all your neighbours houses and make a note of their problems, because your ones will be similar.
Spalling is caused by the bricks getting wet then freezing. It is quite likely that when the house was first built there was only a small amount of loft insulation so the wall was kept from freezing by heat escaping into the loft.
Another reason could be that painting the wall stopped any water that got into the bricks, getting out. Especially if the paint was not kept in an A1 condition.
Again if you have installed cavity insulation, this will lead to the cooling of the outside skin of the wall.
So you know as much as me (pretty microscopic? )
Solutions? Do not remove any bricks, because eventually you will have to replace them all!
If you neighbours have not got painted wall and their bricks are not spalling, remove the paint and patch up the bricks and pointing.
If the neighbours have painted wall that have not spalled make good the bricks and pointing then repaint. Finish of with a coat of silicone water sealer.
Else I think the wall needs covering either with a waterproof render or it might be an idea to bolster the insulation with some patent system, though this might lead to complications where it meets the roof or side door etc.
Frank

 

[ree]

Whatever you do will require a bridging scaffold to do it. Best practice would be to remove all paint and "render" and replace all spalled bricks. Then rake out and point up.
Or, rake out, scratch the surface and use a modern synthetic render.

The paint & smears of render were probably badly advised remedial measures.
The paint could be a plastic paint - the worst thing possible.

There's a fillet of sand & cement instead of lead flashing at the roof/wall join.

Is the top tri-angle of brickwork perfectly plumb with the lower brickwork?

 

[monsho]

Thanks all,

All the other houses in the street are painted, the bricks that were used are notorious for falling apart (Swarland Bricks) that all council houses were made with back in the 50's.

A couple of other houses had their gables rendered, I think this is the way to go. Had a friendly builder come out and he recommended doing this in the summer when everything is as dry as it can be, scrap everything away and use a specific render for it.

Many thanks for replies