Home Restoration & Conservation has undertaken many brickwork conservation contracts over the Years.

We have experience in the replacement of inappropriate, spalled and plastic-repaired bricks with hand-made bricks. We also undertake brick repairs, areas of re-building, as well as the removal of cementicious pointing and repointing. We have also use hot mixed mortars in relation with brick conservation.

Our approach is to establish the cause of deterioration first and then keep any remedial work to a minimum. This will help prevent recurrence of the problem and, by restricting the loss of historic fabric, retain the authenticity of the building.

Sometimes, it may be best to do nothing, ie leave the brickwork alone. Where this is not an option, some form of conservative repair can frequently be undertaken. Only in exceptional circumstances will brickwork need to be taking down and rebuilding.

WHAT CAUSES BRICK WALLS TO DETERIORATE?

Accelerated brickwork decay is commonly associated with poor repairs, neglected maintenance or unsuitable alterations. Deficiencies in design, materials and workmanship may also play a role. Such factors can result in:

• Serious decay of mortar joints, and possibly bricks, because of continuous saturation (caused, for example, by leaking gutters) or salt crystallisation.
• Crumbling (‘spalling’) of brick faces due to frost action, particularly on parapets or chimney stacks, or the use of a cement mortar rather than a lime-based one.
• Cracking or bulging of brickwork caused by, for instance, tree root damage, rotten timber lintels over windows and doors or removal of load-bearing walls internally.

WHAT MIGHT THE REPAIR OF BRICKWORK ENTAIL?

Selective work to the joints and/or bricks. In some cases, only minor repointing of eroded joints will be required after, say, the rectification of a leaking rainwater fitting. With buildings pre-dating c1919, lime mortar and not cement should be used to minimise evaporation through the bricks and consequent deterioration of their faces.

• The bricks themselves can often be carefully removed and then reversed to hide the decay. Tile stitching may be an appropriate repair for cracks in historic brickwork, particularly where horizontal joints are no longer in line. Providing the joints between tiles are kept fine and care is exercised, the repair will gradually weather in.
• We may use coloured mortar (‘plastic’ repairs) to build up decayed brick faces to achieve a good long-term colour match.

IF NECESSARY, HOW MIGHT I REPLACE BRICK?

Only bricks that are severely damaged would be cut out and replaced. Exact replication is difficult, but we have links with a number of good suppliers producing new handmade bricks at reasonable prices. Replacement bricks will match the existing ones as closely as possible in size, colour, texture and durability. They should be laid in the same way, ie with the same bond.