TOOLS:
Electric
drill with concrete cutting disc, hammer, wire brush, trowel, joint
filler, jointing tool, masonry chisel, mortar hawk, pointing trowel.
MATERIALS: Mortar mix, mortar pigment (if needed), concrete
fortifier, spray bottle with water.
Only
consider replacing damaged bricks on non-load-bearing structures.
Leave the major repairs to professionals. Repair areas of five adjacent
bricks or less
Start
by grabbing your drill with the cutting disc and score lines on
the mortar surrounding each brick. This will allow the damaged brick
to break apart more easily. Now, using a chisel, start breaking
apart the brick one fragment at a time. When replacing several adjacent
bricks, work from the top down, being careful not to damage surrounding
bricks. Remove any remaining mortar, brush the area clean, and then
rinse the area with water.
Mix
up some mortar by adding concrete fortifier and a little pigment
(if necessary to match the color of the old mortar). Using the pointing
trowel, apply the mortar a depth of 1 " to the bottom and sides
of the still damp cavity.
Now
moisten the replacement brick, then apply mortar to the top and
ends. Press the brick into the cavity using the handle end of the
trowel to gently align the new brick with the surrounding ones.
Apply additional mortar, if needed. Wipe away any excess then smooth
the joints with a jointing tool so as to match the profile of the
existing mortar.
Wait till the mortar becomes crumbly,
then brush away excess.
