How to Repair Exterior Brick Veneer

If you spot cracks in your brick veneer it can be a little disturbing. It might seem your home is doomed to experience leaks due to poor installation. Usually, the cause of cracked brick veneer is that your installer didn’t use expansion joints, or they didn’t apply enough moisture to allow the mortar to cure. Over time foundation settling also leads to inevitable cracks in your brick veneer.

Since cracking is common, you might find it necessary to make superficial foundation repairs, depending on where the brick veneer is located. However, it is possible to repair the exterior brick veneer on your own. Here are 10 easy steps to repair the exterior brick veneer.

Step 1

First, you’ll need to make sure you have the right tools and materials. This includes:

• Hammer
• Chisel
• Type N mortar mix
• Spray bottle with water
• Trowel
• Jointer tool

Step 2

Take a look at the brick veneer to spot loose mortar pieces. If they are removable, pick them out with your chisel. For pieces that are loose, but don’t want to give, gently use a hammer and chisel to chisel out the mortar to about a centimeter deep or so. You can then remove all the mortar holding the loose brick veneer in place. Depending on how loose it is, you might be able to wriggle out the brick. However, it usually takes a little more chiseling to fully loosen everything. Just don’t chisel into the brick itself as you’ll need to reuse it to get a uniform look.

Step 3

Chisel off any mortar left on the wall.

Step 4

Follow the instructions to prepare the type N mortar mix. You want to get the consistency of mashed potatoes. The best way to avoid getting the consistency too thin is to add the water in small amounts until the desired consistency is achieved.

Step 5

Use your spray bottle to mist the area where you are replacing the brick, as well as the back of the brick to help prepare it so the mortar adheres better.

Step 6

Use a trowel to apply enough mortar to the empty spot so it is even with the existing mortar on the wall. Take your brick veneer piece and press it into the mortar.

Are you spotting cracks in your exterior brick veneers? Call the industry specialists at Grand River Natural Stone today to get expert advice.

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Step 7

Use the trowel to fill the surrounding area with more mortar trying to match the look of the mortar on the wall. This will help keep a more consistent appearance, so your repairs aren’t as obvious.

Step 8

Allow the mortar to dry to the point where you can barely make out your thumbprint when you press on the mortar.

Step 9

Use your jointer tool to perfect the appearance of the mortar to get as much of a match to the surrounding joints as possible. Scrape off any extra mortar from the brick face with a clean trowel.

Step 10

As the finishing touch, you’ll need to continue to spray the joints with water for four days, so the mortar has time to cure and dry properly. As mentioned above, one of the reasons your mortar might crack, or crumble is because the mortar wasn’t allowed to cure long enough. You don’t want that to happen again! You can also use these steps to repair stone veneer and faux stone veneer.

Are you looking to get your exterior brick veneer repaired this spring? Call the experts at Grand River Stone today for the best available solutions.

_Sources:

_{https://homeguides.sfgate.com/fix-loose-brick-veneer-32126.html}

_{https://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-repair-exterior-brick-veneer}

_{https://jadeengineering.biz/the-real-truth-about-brick-veneer-cracks/}

_{https://inspectapedia.com/structure/Brick_Veneer_Wall_Loose.php}