Blown Bricks : Advice please !

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi MichaelG, I'm no builder but, by the looking at your photos and what you describe, I think you will have an everlasting job cutting out bricks and replacing them, it seems quite likely that all of those bricks will suffer the same condition in time, so unless you like doing replacement jobs year on year, your best bet may well be to have it rebuilt with better bricks and will probably be a less expensive option in the long term, and you would have more confidence in making your car port.

Regards Nick.

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

Michael, one way of removing the bricks is drill a series of holes through the mortar bed as close together as possible then use on of the carbide side cutting "drills" aka Screwfix etc that fit an angle grinder – works pretty well ! I had to fit a new lintel over a window and used this method suggested by a pal in the building trade, we also used the side cutting bit to remove mortar for re-pointing the brickwork.

As far as bricks are concerned there is a company close to me who manufacture many specialist bricks for all areas of the UK – maybe they can assist ? **LINK**

Hope this helps John

[Kiwi BlokeParticipant @kiwibloke62605]

Mortar chasing chisel bits are available for SDS drills – used in non-rotating mode – and for heftier breakers. Also, of course, hand-held, smacked with lump hammer. Much cleaner than angle grinder, and if the mortar isn't (too) hard, chiselling is ridiculously quick and easy, with minimal risk of collateral damage!

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Nicholas Farr on 14/07/2021 09:24:53:

Hi MichaelG, I'm no builder but, by the looking at your photos and what you describe, I think you will have an everlasting job cutting out bricks and replacing them, it seems quite likely that all of those bricks will suffer the same condition in time, so unless you like doing replacement jobs year on year, your best bet may well be to have it rebuilt with better bricks and will probably be a less expensive option in the long term, and you would have more confidence in making your car port.

Regards Nick.

.

Exactly, Nick !!

I spoke to a local builder this morning [who is currently doing some very impressive work nearby] … he will be giving me a quote sometime soon.

They say there’s no use crying over spilt milk … but I feel like I am drowning in it !!

MichaelG.

[Raymond AndersonParticipant @raymondanderson34407]

Well Michael as a Bricklayer/ Mason I can safely say they will have to be removed and replaced. Its not a major operation to do that. 100mm angle grinder and diamond blade cut in to the beds/joints as far as you can [ will probably be about 30mm ] then a ripping iron or a small SDS Plus breaker and chisel. If that is common brick they will not be rated F2 which are fully frost resistant , more likely to be F1. They actually look like seconds. The damage you see is in no way related to mortar strength its purely not being frost resistant. the old freeze and thaw syndrome.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Raymond Anderson on 14/07/2021 17:06:44:

Well Michael as a Bricklayer/ Mason I can safely say they will have to be removed and replaced. Its not a major operation to do that. 100mm angle grinder and diamond blade cut in to the beds/joints as far as you can [ will probably be about 30mm ] then a ripping iron or a small SDS Plus breaker and chisel. If that is common brick they will not be rated F2 which are fully frost resistant , more likely to be F1. They actually look like seconds. The damage you see is in no way related to mortar strength its purely not being frost resistant. the old freeze and thaw syndrome.

.

Thanks, Raymond … especially for confirming my view about the irrelevance of the mortar strength.

Every time I look at this wall it looks more evident that it will have to come down … and having seen, today, that several of the blue ‘engineering’ bricks that top it are loose; I don’t think that will be a difficult task !!

Paying for the rebuild will be soul-destroying though.

MichaelG.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Once again – is it not covered by insurance?

pgk

[brickyParticipant @bricky]

Having been a bricklayer and general builder until retirement. I have never seen bricks as bad as those and remedial work of any kind leads me to believe you will continue to have the problem.Just a suggestion if the wall is sound and it is the cosmetic appearance you are concerned with,clad it with verticle feather edge boards or another choice of material,but don't render.

Frank

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by pgk pgk on 14/07/2021 18:33:22:

Once again – is it not covered by insurance?

pgk

.

I haven’t yet checked with my insurer … but the builder was [regrettably] paid on day rate for “doing work” and I’m sure I wouldn’t get any joy there.

Yes, with 20/20 hindsight, I would have been better negotiating a proper contract [it is, after all, what I was doing for a living at the time], but you know what they say about the Cobbler’s children’s shoes !

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by bricky on 14/07/2021 18:53:58:

Having been a bricklayer and general builder until retirement. I have never seen bricks as bad as those and remedial work of any kind leads me to believe you will continue to have the problem.Just a suggestion if the wall is sound and it is the cosmetic appearance you are concerned with,clad it with verticle feather edge boards or another choice of material,but don't render.

Frank

.

Thanks, Frank … but I am now quite convinced that this wall is not sound.

MichaelG.

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