Things to know about Bricklaying, Brickwork and Masonry Maintenance 2021

At S Smith Brickwork, we understand that there can be lots of questions you might have before carrying out work on your development, project or home.

This article will help you to answer some questions about bricklaying, masonry work and construction.

S Smith Brickwork is a bricklaying firm operating in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex; we provide a high quality and customer friendly service, so if you have any more questions or enquiries feel free to get in touch

Continue reading to find out:

1) How much do bricklaying materials cost?

2) What is re-pointing and when do I need to have my house repointed?

3) What effect does wet weather have on bricks?

4) How do I know when my chimney needs to be repaired?

5) Do I restore or rebuild and when to do each.

6) What causes cracked bricks and can they be repaired?

7) How does the age of brickwork impact its stability?

8) What time of year is the best to conduct masonry repairs/rebuilds?

9) What is the most common masonry repair and how can repairs be prevented?

10) Does the colour of bricks fade? How can I clean them?

1) How much to bricklaying materials cost?

Here are some general prices of bricklaying supplies in 2021.

How much do bricks cost 2021 = Standard metric (65mm) brick cost between £450-700 per thousand depending on where you are in the UK, the type of bricks and the general going rate. More specialist bricks such as imperial, handmade and reclaimed bricks can cost anywhere between £1000-£2500 per thousand. The more bricks you purchase in one go, the better rate you tend to get from the builders merchants; which is why its always best to try calculate and purchase all the bricks you need for the job at the start.

How much do a pack of lightweight blocks cost – These are the blocks typical used for internal walls, due to there cost and their thermal properties. A pack of these blocks (70) can cost anywhere between £70-120. Considerably cheaper than building a brick wall.

How much does a tonne of building sand cost – Building sand is the sand used to mix with cement to create mortar, not to be confused with sharp or plasterers sand. A "tonne" bag of builders sand from a merchants is actually 850kg, and would cost between £40-60. If you have the space available it is always cheaper to get "loose tip", where a company would deliver the sand via a tipper or grab lorry. A tonne of loose tip, which is actually 1000kg, typically costs between £30-50. Like with bricks, the more you purchase, usually the cheaper the sand is per tonne.

How much does a bag of cement cost (25kg) – A standard bag of grey cement costs between £4-6, tends to be cheaper when purchased by the pallet load (30-40 bags), which is fine for a large project. A bag of white cement is normally double the price at £8-12. White cement is more desired for facing brickwork, not to be used on blockwork or other work which wouldn't be seen.

These prices are to give you a general idea of how much bricklaying materials cost. These are estimates from February 2021, check with your local building merchant for up-to-date building materials prices for your area.

2) Do I restore or rebuild and when to do each.

The age and strength of the structure usually determines whether it needs to be restored or rebuilt. If the required maintenance has been kept up, masonry work should stand the test of time; but older bricks tend to be softer compared to newer ones and so more problems may arise requiring replacement or substantial restoration in most cases.

Although age is usually the main determining factor for replacement / restoration; bad quality workmanship and initial installation can cause poor drainage and ventilation as well as bad aesthetic, so any problems like these will likely require replacement.

The most common issue we come across is where lime mortar has been replaced with cement mortar. Cement mortar is fine to use on more modern durable bricks, but shouldn't be used of old softer bricks as other time it will blow the face off the bricks. Here the image shows where we had this issue.

Here the image below shows how we overcome the issue. We began by removing all the bricks which were beyond saving, and replacing them with the reclaimed bricks we'd supplied. The wall was then repointed with lime mortar, as would've been used when first built.

As a rule, we believe you should always fix it right the first time. Bodge jobs are always short term, will always eventually cost money to repair or replace later on and could lead to more longer-term damage.

3) How does the age of brickwork impact its stability?

Like all materials, especially man made ones, there is a lifespan. Brick has always been a very enduring material and brick structures can withstand hundreds if not thousands of years.

However, when brickwork deteriorates, for whatever reason, it can become very unstable and a potential danger to the structure and all those in and around it.

Theres a very good reason why it new builds and extensions now have to be passed by building control before being used or lived in. This is so the structure is build to the current regulations and specifications. Older builds would not have had the same thorough checks throughout the project. Which is often the reason the brickwork becomes unstable and in need of repair.

4) What causes cracked bricks and can they be repaired?

Exposure to the elements, extreme temperature differences such as with chimney or simply a bad batch of bricks could all be reasons for cracked bricks.

Individual cracked bricks should always be replaced rather than repaired. Although there are cracks appearing throughout the multiple areas of the brickwork surface, it is likely there is a structural problem such as the foundation, subsidence or shifting.

In areas where ground shifting may be an issue, walls and structures should be built with allowance for expansion and contraction in mind, this is the case you’ll have to address the cause first before attempting to build or conduct any repairs. This can be an serious as needing to underpin a building. Which is where the original structure wasn't built on significant foundations, if any at all; so the foundations need to be put in afterwards. This is often a very timely and expensive procedure.

Sometimes cracks in the mortar joint can cause damp to come through, this can often be fixed by simply raking out and repointing the mortar.

5) Can bricklayers work in the cold and wet?

Bricks are naturally absorbent, both the clay and concrete type; as a rule, the softer the brick the more absorbent. If the bricks retains water for a prolonged period and the water cannot be effectively drained, efflorescence could build on the surface.

Efflorescence takes form of a salty deposit on the exterior of the brick, producing a white stain type appearance – it can be difficult to remove however can be by protecting brickwork from heavy and prolonged rain where possible. This is why, for example, garden walls should be topped with a coping stone. This protects the wall from heavy rain fall.

If frost attacks mortar it loses its strength and can compromise the strength and structural integrity of the wall; this only applies to the period in the day or two after the mortar has been laid, and frost damage can be prevented by covering the newly laid brickwork with hessian sheets. As a general rule brickwork shouldn't be carried out in temperatures below 2 degrees. Another issue working in the cold brings is that the mortar often won't set enough before the end of the day to be pointed and brushed, this can cause mortar stains on the bricks. Frost proofer can be added to the mix which will in most circumstances stop the mortar freezing.

6) What time of year is the best to conduct masonry repairs/rebuilds?

The elements always need to be taken into consideration for the reasons mentioned above; so the best possible time to build or repair is in mild and dry summery conditions.

However, as we know, England is not always mild, dry and sunny and we have to work with what we have.

Working in the cold, wet and windy is something the team at S Smith Brickwork has learnt to do effectively, preventing efflorescence where we can using brick jackets (protective covers) over the stacks of bricks and blocks as well as using hessian sheeting in the frosty and freezing conditions. We always make sure the work we complete on the day, will be significantly protected by any weathers.

As well as working in the cold, working in high temperatures can cause issues. High temperatures can cause the mortar to set too quickly, this can significantly effect its strength and durability. In some circumstances this can be avoided by "dipping" the bricks as they're laid, this is where you wet the bricks before laying; often by just spraying the stacks of bricks with water.

7) What is the most common masonry repair and how can repairs be prevented?

Re-pointing is by far the most common masonry repair, which unfortunately there isn’t much a homeowner can do to prevent other than being vigilant and spotting major cracks or problem areas;

Acting sooner rather than later is always going to be cheaper and more effective than putting it off.

Sometimes a good water repellent can prevent wear to the brickwork, although ensure to use water repellent and not sealant; You want your wall to be able to breathe and sealing it will only contain any moisture issues you may have, making them worse.

8) What is re-pointing and when do I need to have my house repointed?

Pointing or re-pointing brickwork generally involves renewing and refilling the mortar joints that bond the bricks. Re-pointing will ensure protection from the elements and internal damp, whilst also making the exterior of the building look like new.

Re-pointing is done by ‘racking’ out the old joints typically using an angle grinder to a depth of about 10mm into the joint. The old mortar is then replaced with fresh mortar which fills any gaps and gives the wall a great fresh look.

There are many ways you can have your wall pointed, some of these include:

Re-pointing is generally priced by the square meter, prices can defer depending on what style of repointing you use.

9) How do I know when my chimney needs to be repaired? Why is it so vulnerable?

Due to high exposure to the elements, protruding nature and extreme temperature difference between inside and out; chimneys are always a high maintenance component of any home or building.

Chimneys which have experienced a chimney fire generally cannot be repaired, and so have to be rebuilt and replaced.

The most common reason for needing to maintain a chimney is cracks and wearing of the mortar; this requires a re-pointing.

The age of the chimney will also likely determine whether it needs to be re-built or replaced.

Leaving chimneys as an afterthought can end up being extremely expensive, due to the fire hazard, or collapse, so give it some attention, one way or the other!

10) Does the colour of bricks fade and how can I clean them?

In short, yes the colour of brick will fade in time. Just how much is determined by the exposure to the sun and the elements generally. With this in mind, not all sides of a building or structure will fade at the same rate.

Cleaning brick depends on what caused the discolouring in the first place. A dust build-up can be taken care of with a good soaking and a hard spray of water from a garden hose or pressure washer afterwards.

For a deeper clean or a more stubborn stain, a brick acid wash may be required, however this is a task that needs to be undertaken with extreme care and so we would not recommend the average homeowner to undertake this procedure by themselves without a knowledge of the risks and how to correctly carry it out.

We hope this has helped to clear up some questions about bricklaying and masonry, if you have any other questions or enquires, feel free to get in contact at ssmithbrickwork@gmail.com