Questions to Help You Decide on Whether to Replace or Repair Bricks
The obvious consideration of whether to replace or repair your bricks is the extent to which they are damaged. Sometimes, however, your bricks may be damaged but are not showing many signs. Other times, it might be a minor issue that looks extensive on the outside. If you wonder how to tell the difference, below are three questions to consider.What is Damaged? The Brick or the Mortar?
Mortar is the paste used in construction to hold bricks or stones in place. It is a mixture of sand, water, and cement. The mortar will often start wearing and tearing long before the bricks show any signs of damage. That is how it is supposed to function to keep the bricks in place. Before calling your mason, you should study bricks and mortar. If you notice the mortar is cracking or softening, it's time to replace it with new mortar without necessarily having to repair the bricks.What Does the Opposite Side of the Damaged Brick(s) Look Like?
There are different defects that you can observe on your bricks. The first is bloating of bricks, where a spongy swollen mass is formed over the bricks due to excess sulphur and carbonaceous matter. The second is the black core, where the oxidation process does not entirely remove carbon and bituminous matter, causing the bricks to have black patches. Additionally, efflorescence is indicated by white or drying grey salt patches on the surface of the bricks; this happens when the bricks absorb excess moisture. Bricks can also get black spots on their surface due to iron sulphide. Other defects in bricks include lime blowing, brick cracking, chuffs, and lamination bricks. When determining whether to replace a brick or repair it, you can look at the extent of the damage mentioned above on the other side of the brick. If a brick has efflorescence, black spots, or a black core on the outside but is clear on the inside, you can overturn the bricks, so they face the opposite direction in the wall without replacing them. However, if they are bloating or cracking intensively, you might have to replace them.Is your Structure Leaning, Unstable, or Bowing?
When a structure sustains damage to an extent where it is unstable and begins to lean or bow, it is time to take the structure down, replace the bricks, and build it new. The old bricks might have internal cracks or have absorbed excess moisture until they became soft and began breaking down. You can involve masonry to determine the extremes of the damage by assessing the movement of the walls and measuring the width and length of the cracks.Brick & Masonry Repair in Dallas-Fort Worth
The only way to be sure on how to renovate your home is to involve a brick mason, and who better to serve you than Brick Experts. At Brick Experts, we have years of experience and expertise in installing and repairing all brick structures. During our assessment of brick damage, we do the following:- We check the diameter of holes on the bricks to determine if they can be repaired
- We measure the width and length of the cracks to categorize the damage
- We determine whether your walls are bowing or shifting
Get in Touch with Us Today
Are you looking for a solution for your damaged bricks? Whether you want to repair a crack in your wall, rebuild your whole structure or update the appearance of your Dallas-Fort Worth brick property, we have what you need. We are certified masons and experienced builders who will ensure you love the results of our work. Contact us today to request a quote.Image Credit: bogdanhoda / Shutterstock
