Questions tagged [brick]
For questions generally relating to the artificial stone-like building material typically called "brick", and also related materials like "cinder block" and natural stone blocks.
109
questions with no upvoted or accepted answers
3
votes
2
answers
336
views
Attaching ledger board to brick and block wall?
I'm building an enclosed 1 floor addition on the side of our house which will extend our side entry to become a mudroom and provide for a pantry off our kitchen.
We need the space under the addition ...
- 31
3
votes
2
answers
8k
views
How clean up linseed oil stains after spill on stone patio?
A contractor spilled linseed oil on my stone patio, staining a large area. I tried cleaning the stone with simple dish soap & water, and it had absolutely no effect. I fear that the oil has been ...
- 139
2
votes
0
answers
169
views
Reducing risks of interior brick wall insulation?
I was surprised to learn that that there are risks with insulating the interior walls in older all-brick houses - particularly in cold climates. This article outlines some of the issues:
http://www....
- 145
2
votes
0
answers
356
views
Is it worthwhile to fill minor cracks and holes in mortar?
There are a number of small cracks and holes in the exterior on my 10-year-old brick house. These are very small and do not in any way appear structural. They are much much smaller than the weep holes,...
- 493
2
votes
0
answers
2k
views
What to use to seal large gaps in corners where brick ends?
I have a few weird areas in my (new to me) house where brick and mortar are basically meeting corners or endings, and leaving huge gaps. The first one is a gap between the back of the brick and the ...
- 141
2
votes
1
answer
147
views
What can I use to clean my brick fireplace
I have a brick fireplace that has been great over the years. I was wondering, since I can't pressure-wash the grout or brick with a cleaner, what can I use to bring the brick and grout back to life?
- 410
1
vote
1
answer
75
views
Efflorescence on chimney bricks inside the house
I have recently whitewashed my brick chimney. It’s irrelevant to the problem but white background color makes efflorescence more noticeable. After a month of whitewashing, my chimney (January in MA, ...
- 235
1
vote
0
answers
62
views
Why does my exterior door make a loud sound after I lock it?
I have a wooden back door with 9 glass panes and a wooden frame surrounded by brick inside and outside. Sometimes we have to push on it to get it to click all the way shut, if you know what I mean… ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
32
views
What compressive strength are historical Kreischer yellow brick?
I've asked a variation of this question before around using soft mortar for historical brick - and I've seen variations of recommendations on using Type O mortar or some other hydrated lime mix.
...
- 1,199
1
vote
0
answers
44
views
Should I be concerned about the cracking on this exterior brick wall?
I recently purchased this house so I am learning something new about home ownership everyday. Today I noticed this crack on my exterior brick wall. Not sure if this should be a cause for concern or if ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
29
views
Attached garage with brick exterior facade
I have an attached garage with a brick veneer exterior on 3 sides. The interior walls that were behind the brick walls have completely rotted out and are not structurally sound. At current, one ...
1
vote
1
answer
158
views
Mortar washout on brick
Moved into a home and looks as if when the retaining wall was installed they allowed the mortar to washout and stain the bricks. What we are left with is a very ugly street facing wall. Not great for ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
105
views
How do I seal and make this window in brick casement look better?
I have a window from my kitchen that goes through a brick veneer wall. The wall shifted at some point in time years ago, pulling slightly away from the house. As a result, there is a much larger gap ...
- 840
1
vote
0
answers
85
views
Flashing entry door in brick veneer under covered porch
I'm about to install a new pivot door, and I wanted to be sure on the flashing details before I tear down the existing door frame. This home is slab-on-grade with brick veneer; the entry is covered, ...
- 189
1
vote
0
answers
251
views
Is it possible to mount heavy objects to the exterior of a brick veneer home?
I have a brick veneer home (single wythe) and would like to mount a outdoor fan that is about 60 lbs. and has a mounting plate and arm that has 4 bolt holes. In researching this project I have learned ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
62
views
Is this sand or motar?
Originally I was going to repair the joints on my 20 yo brick stairs (pic A)
As I was chipping away the broken joints I noticed a few of the joints had the consistency of wet beach sand and I could ...
- 1,640
1
vote
0
answers
158
views
What would I use to fill a hole in a brick, so that I can re-drill a new hole that overlaps it?
I'm replacing a sillcock in the backyard, which is mounted onto brick, and unfortunately the holes to anchor it are just slightly off and overlap.
I'd need to fill the old hole with something that can ...
- 123
1
vote
0
answers
112
views
How to determine if brick wall can withstand weight of TV with 1m swivel arm?
I live in a brick house in Spain and want to mount a large 65" TV on an internal brick wall. When I knock on it with my knuckles I get a hollow sound. I suspect they are perforated brick as shown ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
100
views
Damp exterior bricks near the roof and windows
I been looking everywhere.
Some say it could be a drainage issue or mold.
Would anyone know what could cause this discoloration?
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
468
views
Best tool and approach to cut new hole for airbrick in Victorian stone house wall?
It has been recommended by a building surveyor that will install another airbrick in the external wall of our Victorian house to help with airflow in the sub floor.
I have seen multiple examples ...
- 169
1
vote
0
answers
194
views
Exposing brick chimney in kitchen
My 1916 house has a brick chimney (no fireplace) that runs through the corner of my kitchen and I was considering removing paneling/plaster to expose the brick.
I chiseled away a small test square and ...
- 35
1
vote
0
answers
71
views
Cracks in bricks, needs foundation work or can it be watched?
This house belongs to my mother who is in her 70's. She already needs a new roof and is saving for that.
As of now she can not really afford to fix foundation so I need honest opinions. Is this ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
65
views
Having doubts about my mason
I have just hired a young mason for a few projects, one of which was to patch a hole in the brick wall and the other to build a low garden wall. I hired him on the basis of pictures that he texted me ...
- 1,541
1
vote
0
answers
309
views
How to remove a brick & mortar planter from inside a home
Just purchased a 1959 ranch home and it looks like what is now the family room may have been an enclosed porch in the past.
There is an odd knee-high brick planter box ( ? ) along a painted paneled ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
329
views
Crack between brick backed plaster and plasterboard backed plaster
I have a room where there is a large crack running from floor to ceiling along one of the walls. To the left of the crack it sounds solid and appears to be plastered onto the side of the chimney, to ...
- 111
1
vote
0
answers
256
views
Running electrical on outside of house
I need to convert an outlet to 230V 15A for a window AC. Unfortunately the outlet is on the second floor, outside wall of a solid brick house.
I’m considering punching a hole through the back of the ...
- 373
1
vote
0
answers
196
views
How should I restore the level of sinking paver bricks in my driveway?
My driveway is over thirty years old but hasn't had any maintenance work, so while it is mostly fine there are some issues. The one that concerns me most is the sinking of some of the bricks around ...
- 3,068
1
vote
0
answers
102
views
Repointing in sections
I want to repoint my walls, but not all of the wall needs repointing, only sections. How should I break up the task? How should I join sections with fresh mortar to sections with existing mortar.
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
136
views
How to describe this brick in order to identify and buy matching ones?
This is my first post here so apologies if this isn't the type of question that should be asked.
I am undertaking some work on my house in Liverpool UK which was built (we think) in 1994. We (and our ...
- 111
1
vote
0
answers
254
views
Adhesive for cableways on internal brick
I have a television mounted (professionally) on an interior masonry brick wall, above my fireplace. I also have cableways (cord-concealers) running on the surface of the brick wall, approximately ...
- 447
1
vote
0
answers
11k
views
how to patch hole in interior chimney wall
I was recently removing plaster from the interior wall of my chimney and discovered a huge hole that had been patched by some drywall.
The chimney is still used to vent my furnace and water heater, ...
- 375
1
vote
0
answers
421
views
Can acrylic concrete patch be drilled into?
Can acrylic concrete patch be drilled into? I am using it to fill in some holes in a brick with holes in it where I need to drill into the brick itself and into the area where the patch will be. How ...
- 373
1
vote
0
answers
563
views
Protecting red brick patio from green moss
My other half has just finished laying a brick patio. We're looking for some way to reduce or minimise the growth of green moss which makes these bricks really slippery, more-so in winter with ...
- 10.6k
1
vote
0
answers
149
views
What aspects of bricklaying are most important structurally vs aesethically
I've seen homes where the mortar is squeezing out between bricks. This appears pretty sloppy must still be structurally sound. It seems that the pointing of the joints is just an aesthetic choice. ...
- 131
1
vote
0
answers
258
views
Damaged exterior moisture barrier behind brick veneer
I saw a similar question here but it was never really answered. I live in Houston, in a brick veneer house that is about 35 years old. I have a thin cardboard applied to the studs as a moisture ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
991
views
Can I drill a hole through brick wall/lintel for A/C lines?
I'm looking to move the a/c refrigerant and return lines that are currently through the middle of a window opening to a more natural location so that a window can be installed in the opening. I ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
657
views
What causes these chips in a cement brick wall, and how can I fix them?
I have found my exposed basement cement wall which is about 15 x 10 in size to have quite a few areas where there is a cracked chip ranging from approx 0.5" in diameter to 2" in diameter and a few ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
688
views
How do I fill in holes in exterior brick veneer?
How do I fill in holes in exterior brick veneer ? I need it to be aesthetically nice, I need to match the color of the old cement between the bricks..
It looks like below:
- 3,402
1
vote
0
answers
238
views
What is this stain on my brick?
My house has a pinky brown brick on the front. When we moved in 9 years ago it had a bit of a green tinge to it, but not bad. Over the years it has gotten worse. We have tried powerwashing, having a ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
757
views
Is this vertical gap in the concrete block foundation something to worry about?
I'm looking at a home that has a vertical gap or crack running the height of the exposed concrete block foundation. The crack is near the center of the home, about a foot to the right of the concrete ...
- 121
0
votes
1
answer
31
views
Can anyone figure out this specific type of brick?
It is from Acme Bricks but I am unsure on the specific type. I tried Home Depot and Lowe’s but they do not carry it. It is 9.5Lx2.5W
0
votes
1
answer
39
views
Drilling second hole very close to existing one in perforated brick, for hanging a heavy weight
We want to mount a water heater on a wall. The stability requirements are high - the heater will have over 100 kg total weight when full, and we're in a seismically active zone.
Unfortunately, when my ...
- 507
0
votes
0
answers
56
views
Brick Facade - Help me Expand an Existing Hole Without Doing Damage
I want to modify the existing openings on the facade of my house into the crawlspace. The current "vents" are just gaps in between the vertical bricks. I'd like to remove the bricks and ...
0
votes
0
answers
18
views
How to prevent damp on a wall with no soffit(roof overhang)
One wall of my 1890's victorian house has no soffit (roof overhang). This wall also suffers from damp coming through the solid brick walls and I don't get that on any other exterior wall. The bricks ...
- 367
0
votes
0
answers
30
views
What kind of siloxane coating should I use on historical brownstone steps that is historically safe?
I'd like to reduce the amount of water soaking into my 120 year old brownstone steps and want to use something that won't run afoul of the landmarks historical commission or change the look in any ...
- 1,199
0
votes
0
answers
27
views
Is this efflorescence on these brick pillars? And is this a sign of water intrusion into the pillars?
There are brick pillars under a bedroom that overhangs. On the brick pillars are some white stuff that I would assume is efflorescence but the patterns are a little weird to me. If that is what it is ...
0
votes
0
answers
90
views
Will a brick wall support 150 pounds of mounting bracket and TV?
I want to mount a Tripp Lite Model #DWM60100XX television wall mounting bracket that weighs 31 pounds on a brick wall above a gas fireplace in my family room and then hang an 86-inch television that ...
- 1
0
votes
0
answers
39
views
Leak above window frame. How to proceed?
I live in a 15yr old townhouse that I bought 2 years ago. Roofing was replaced in 2018 by prev owner.
During rain in Dec 2022, I noticed that the lower right window (shown in picture) was leaking ...
- 1
0
votes
0
answers
50
views
Can I relay the bottom three brick rows
So I removed the hearth (3 rows high) of a former fireplace and found that the bottom three rows was sloppily laid, and this hurts my eyes: https://imgur.com/a/q25Gn8W.
Can I safely relay them? If so ...
- 1
0
votes
0
answers
61
views
How can I fix a hole in the internal brick of a cavity wall?
An electrician was trying to dig out my wall and he just left it like this. He told me he'd come back and fill it with expanding foam. Is this the best way? I was also advised I could use sand & ...
