How Do You Stabilize Crumbling Bricks

How Do You Stabilize Crumbling Bricks?

If you’ve noticed the face of your brickwork flaking, popping off or disintegrating, you are dealing with a common issue known as spalling. Spalling is a sign that your brick and mortar are failing, leaving your home vulnerable to water intrusion and structural damage. While there are temporary fixes, it is best to understand how to stabilize crumbling bricks for lasting results after brick deterioration repair.

What Causes Crumbling Bricks?

The primary cause of crumbling bricks, or spalling, is the repeated freezing and thawing of water trapped within the masonry. Bricks are porous, and they naturally absorb moisture. When the temperature drops below freezing, this water expands, exerting immense pressure just beneath the brick’s surface. Over time, this stress causes the outer layer of the brick to crumble away.

Several factors that exacerbate this problem include:

• Excess moisture: Poor drainage, leaking gutters or improper landscaping can direct excessive water toward the brick walls.
• Failed mortar joints: Cracks in the mortar allow more water to penetrate deeply into the brickwork.
• Low-quality bricks: Using hard, modern mortar on older, softer bricks prevents the mortar from absorbing and releasing moisture, forcing the brick to bear the brunt of the freeze-thaw cycle.
• Non-breathable sealants: Applying non-breathable coatings traps moisture inside the masonry, exacerbating spalling.

Spalling, if left unchecked, can lead to air quality issues and structural risks for a property. It’s important to stabilize crumbling bricks to prevent future health and safety hazards.

How to Fix Crumbling Bricks

Addressing crumbling bricks permanently involves a few critical, professional solutions. The first step is to eliminate the source of excess moisture, which may require gutter repair, improved drainage or fixing a plumbing leak. For the masonry itself, the two primary solutions are brick repair and tuckpointing. Tuckpointing involves carefully removing and replacing the deteriorated mortar joints with mortar that is compatible with the existing bricks.

For bricks that are extensively damaged or fully spalled, individual brick units must be cut out and replaced with a matching type and strength of brick. In some cases, a professional application of a breathable masonry sealer can offer preventive protection against future water saturation, but this must only be done after all necessary repairs are complete.

While applying a breathable sealing agent can offer a level of protection, a professional assessment is the best way to safeguard your home and repair crumbling bricks. At Brick + Ember Outfitters, we are the local Indianapolis experts dedicated to helping you identify the true root cause of your masonry deterioration and fix spalling brick.

Your Indianapolis Brick Repair Professionals

We provide comprehensive masonry repair services, including expert tuckpointing and brick repair, to ensure the problem is solved correctly the first time. Call us today at 317-500-1250 for more information about our brick spalling repair services.