We have a raised area of the garden with a dwarf brick wall around it and steps to the upper level. Ever since the wall was built, 2 years ago, the brickwork has white stains/patches all over it. There is soil behind the wall with no liner between. What options do we have?
White patches on brickwork
- Thread starter Peter_K
- Start date
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the soil behind the wall will be damp. The water will soak through the wall. It will evaporate off the exposed surface. The dissolved minerals in the water will be left behind.
This is called efflorescence.
It occurs on a newly-built wall when the dissolved minerals in the water from the mortar, and those from the sands and cement dry out, and this will weather away in time, and stop once the wall has dried out.
However in your case, the soil will always be damp, so it will never stop.
It might possibly reduce if you drill some one-inch holes, especially near the bottom, right through the brickwork so that excess water can drain away.
You could dig it out and lay an impermeable material, such as damp-proof membrane, behind it, or rebuild it in waterproof material, or build a new wall in front to hide it, or as woody says, grow plants to hide it, or you could just get used to it.
This is called efflorescence.
It occurs on a newly-built wall when the dissolved minerals in the water from the mortar, and those from the sands and cement dry out, and this will weather away in time, and stop once the wall has dried out.
However in your case, the soil will always be damp, so it will never stop.
It might possibly reduce if you drill some one-inch holes, especially near the bottom, right through the brickwork so that excess water can drain away.
You could dig it out and lay an impermeable material, such as damp-proof membrane, behind it, or rebuild it in waterproof material, or build a new wall in front to hide it, or as woody says, grow plants to hide it, or you could just get used to it.
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Is it to do with not having a damp course? We had a front extension built in 2001 and a new front and side garden wall built at the same time using the same bricks. We've had the salt stains on the front garden walls ever since but not on the extension.
edit: looks like it is!
edit: looks like it is!
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