3 Tips For Restoring The Appearance Of Your Brick Home
Brick homes have stood the test of time and earned the adoration of homeowners around the world with their qualities of beauty, strength, and durability. But even an exterior surface that is this revered can begin to show the effects of aging, weather, or environmental factors. Luckily there are steps homeowners can take to repair and restore the surface so that it can continue to protect your family for generations to come.
Clean it
The first step to any brick repair and restoration project begins with cleaning the surface of the brick. In addition to removing years of dust, dirt, and grime, a proper cleaning process can remove mold, rust, and other discolorations so that the homeowner will be better able to see potential problems, such as cracked or missing bricks and mortar.
If the area of brick that you need to clean is small, a pail of soapy water and a soft brush may be all that you need to clean the bricks and mortar joints. When you need to clean a larger wall or area, such as the entire exterior of a full brick home, a power sprayer is a much more effective cleaning tool for the job.
Patch it
If the cleaning process reveals damage to the mortar or bricks, it will be necessary to repair the damage to help restore the wall's ability to prevent the infiltration of water and insects. Minor holes, cracks, and spaces between bricks can be easily patched with a mortar repair compound available at most home improvement stores. To make the repair, homeowners can use a tuck pointing trowel to carefully dab small amounts of the compound into the masonry cracks and holes and then smooth the surface with your finger or a tool called a masonry striker.
If cleaning the brick reveals missing or damaged bricks, it may be necessary to cut the damaged area from the wall and replace it with new bricks and masonry cement. Since this requires the use of a masonry saw and other tools and skills, hiring a reputable masonry contractor to handle this type of brick repair task is usually the most efficient way to complete this type of repair.
Seal it
Once the brick exterior wall of your home is clean and repaired, applying a high quality sealant is recommended. In addition to helping protect the brick from water and the effects of weather, the application of sealant can also help to restore the color and tone to faded brick surfaces.
Contact a company, like Excel Chimney & Fireplace Service, for more help.