HOW TO POSITION AND REPOSITION A BRICK.

It is very hard to damage brick houses. However, a time comes when the mortar positioned between the brick begins to degrade. The process of repairing the bricks and the mortar is known as brick repointing. This process is pretty easy if you are handy, but time consuming. Without doubt, this is a very wise thing to do to prevent further damage.  If the mortar is not fixed, water will be able to seep between the bricks thus causing the bricks to swell and start cracking.

Here a step by step tutorial on how to reposition your bricks.

1. Remove The Old Mortar

Brick re-pointing is all about removing the old mortar and replacing it with a new one. You should do these in small sections not at once. Removing the mortar at once will weaken the wall thus creating a higher risk. Now,, working along the walls in an area about two to four feet wide, start removing the old mortar from both the vertical and horizontal joints. This is to ensure that you do not damage the bricks. Use a handheld grout saw or cold chisel to tap it out.

A joint raker can also be used. If you are very confident in your repair abilities, you can use a 4 inches angle grinder, but be very careful not to cut the brick. You will remove the mortar to a depth of about half an inch. Use a wire brush, hose or whisk broom to remove all the dust in between. Do not forget to wear a respirator to keep from breathing in the dust and debris.

2. Wet The Wall

Spray your brick with water by use of a hose pipe to soak the brick and let it sit overnight. This will make sure that the old mortar and the bricks are properly hydrated and that they do not suck the water out of the new mortar. You will place the new mortar in between them the next day. When ready to put in the new mortar, you should lightly spritz the bricks at least one more time before beginning.

3. Mix The New Mortar

If the house you are working on is less than fifty years old, then you will likely be safe using the standard Portland cement mortar to refill all the spaces between your bricks. If you have an older house, you should use a mix consisting of sand and lime. This mixture is what was used originally in brickwork and it’s advisable that you use the same mix as you replace the mortar. This is because the standard Portland cement mortar is extremely hard when it dries up and can cause the old bricks to crack.

Whichever mortar mix you use, make sure you make the mix in smaller batches as it hardens very quickly. You should place the ingredients in a wheelbarrow and then mix.

4: Insert The New Mortar

Pick up some of the mortar on a trowel and then, using a trowel, work smaller amounts of the mortar into the vertical and horizontal gaps between the bricks. It's easier to fill the vertical joints with another tool known as a margin trowel.

5: Clean Up

Wait about an hour till the mortar has hardened a bit. Now  scrape off any excess mortar that has remained on the brick surface. Use a sturdy wire brush to do this.

All in all, brick re-positioning is a tedious, and very detailed job. We can re-position your bricks. Contact us at Amin Home Improvement.

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