The exposed brick wall look is as popular as ever. It gives the house a classy and sophisticated air. But it comes with its own problems. Like concrete, cracks are very common problems with brick walls. You can easily fix many kinds of cracks in brick walls by yourself. If you’re handy, you don’t always have to hire professional help.
Cracks form in brick walls for many reasons such as earthquakes, moisture, shifting and reactive soil, changing seasons, deteriorating building materials, nearby heavy construction work, large trees in your vicinity.
Some types of cracks indicate structural damage. You should talk to a professional when you see them. Horizontal and zig-zag cracks in your wall are signs of structural damage.
You can fix cosmetic cracks yourself. These are usually vertical cracks that appear in the mortar between bricks or in the brick itself. Smaller cracks in one brick are also something that you can tackle on your own. If the cracks are spread out over a large area though, it’s time to call in a professional.
Common Cracks in Brick Walls That You Can Repair
The most common cracks in brick walls are in mortar joints. A mortar joint is the mortar that lies between bricks in a wall. Mortar joints are the most elastic and weakest points in a brick wall. The changing seasons and exposure to water throughout the year take a toll on them.
Cracked mortar joints don’t just look bad, they can cause greater problems if left unattended. Moisture can seep in through cracked mortar joints, which can damage the brick wall further and cause more cracks in mortar joints. However, you can fix them easily with the right tools.
Cracks in bricks are more complicated to repair than cracked mortar joints. Cracked bricks require immediate attention because they allow moisture to seep in deeper, which can cause even worse damage if left unchecked.
Hiring a professional to repair a cracked brick can be expensive, but with some effort, patience, and the right tools, you can do the job yourself. However, you should seek professional help if there are more than just one or two cracked bricks in your wall because this indicated there’s probably more than just surface level damage at play.
Step 1 – Gather the Tools and Materials You Will Need
- Chisel
- Hammer
- Brick jointer
- Stiff brush
- Brick trowel
- Pointing trowel or a small trowel
- Garden hose
- Mortar mix
- Bucket
- Spray bottle
- Safety goggles
- Rubber gloves
- Respirator mask
Step 2 – Protect Yourself
Wear the goggles, gloves, and respiratory mask before you start the repair work. Cement and fine particles can irritate your eyes, skin, and respiratory system.
Step 3 – Repair the Cracked Mortar Joints
Repairing cracked mortar joints takes time, but you can effectively finish the job with these steps:
a) Remove cracked pieces of mortar
Take a hammer and chisel and dislodge all loose pieces of mortar from around the bricks. Break into the cracked mortar joint as deep as half an inch, but not more than that. Be careful not to damage the bricks. Clean out the vertical joints and then the horizontal joints until there is no loose mortar in the joint.
b) Flush out the debris
Use a garden hose with high pressure to flush out debris, dust, and small pieces of mortar left behind. Make sure you protect your floors and other walls from the water with plastic sheeting. If it’s not possible to use a hose inside, a shop vac can do an ok job, but it’s not as good as using water.
c) Prepare the new mortar
Pour the mortar mix into a bucket and add a small amount of water. The mixture should be a thick paste with the consistency of store-bought peanut butter. Mortar with a runny consistency will not stay put inside the gaps. But don’t make it too thick because then it will be more prone to cracks in the future.
d) Fill the joints
Before you fill the joints with mortar, spray some water on them with a spray bottle. This is important because a dry brick wall will suck the moisture from the mortar and make the mortar joint crack again.
Use a small and sharp trowel to fill the mortar between the bricks. You can also use a brick jointer to pack the mortar tightly inside the joints. Leave no gaps or air spaces. Fill the vertical joints first.
A good technique for horizontal joints is to take out mortar on an overturned brick trowel, hold the trowel under the horizontal joint, and sweep the mortar into the joint with a pointing trowel.
e) Shape the mortar joints
Check the mortar joint shapes in the rest of the wall. For a V shape, use the pointed end of the pointer trowel and drag along the joint. For a U shape, you can use a brick jointer. Shake off the excess mortar before you start on a new joint.
Step 4 – Repair Cracked Bricks
For cracked bricks, patching with mortar is an ineffective solution. Cracked bricks are weak points in your wall, so you need to remove them before they cause more damage.
a) Remove mortar around the cracked brick
Break into the mortar joints around the cracked brick with a chisel and hammer, and remove all the mortar.
b) Remove the brick
Carefully take out the brick. Break it further with your chisel and hammer if it’s not loose yet.
c) Soak the replacement brick in water
The replacement brick needs to be moist to adhere securely
d) Flush the cavity with water
Use a garden hose to flush out all debris from the cavity. This cleans the cavity and also keeps the dust to a minimum. Compressed air or a shop vac can also do the job but get incredibly dusty.
e) Insert the replacement brick
Prepare the mortar mixture as you did for cracked mortar joints. Spread mortar on the bottom of the cavity with a trowel. Take the brick out of the water and remove excess water from it. Apply mortar on the top and side surface of the brick and insert it into the moist cavity.
Make sure that you align the replacement brick with the rest of the bricks. Use a trowel to pack the mortar in the joints tightly. Scrape the excess mortar around the brick with the side of the trowel. Shape the mortar joints with your trowel or brick jointer.
That’s it, you’re done! Step back, crack open a cold one, and admire the results of your hard work.
Useful Tips for Repairing Cracked Brick Walls
- Spray the new mortar joints with water at different times of the day for 2-3 days
- After the mortar dries completely, you can use a stiff brush to scrape off excess mortar from brick surfaces
- You can mix mortar coloring when you prepare the mortar to match the color of your wall