How best to remove blown bricks on garden wall...

FreeBear

Mortar for brickwork should normally be softer than the surrounding bricks - This allows you to rake out the joints at a later date and repoint. In addition, should there be any movement/settlement of the wall, it is the mortar joints that will give way rather than the bricks cracking.

On my house, the mortar can be raked out with a screwdriver - External walls have a very soft facing brick held together with lime mortar.

Tip - When you come to put the bricks back, mix up a weak mortar with say six parts sharp sand to one part cement with a tiny drop of washing up liquid added.

BertieUK

FreeBear wrote: »

Mortar for brickwork should normally be softer than the surrounding bricks - This allows you to rake out the joints at a later date and repoint. In addition, should there be any movement/settlement of the wall, it is the mortar joints that will give way rather than the bricks cracking.

On my house, the mortar can be raked out with a screwdriver - External walls have a very soft facing brick held together with lime mortar.

Tip - When you come to put the bricks back, mix up a weak mortar with say six parts sharp sand to one part cement with a tiny drop of washing up liquid added.

Thank you once again FreeBear for all your comments / Tip...


I think that when they built our bungalow in 1963 they used a very strong mix because the mortar is very hard indeed, and no way could you remove with a screwdriver, but our previous dwelling you could, as it was much like you describe.


Maybe it was built on a Monday and not fully awake.


Kind regards

AndyMc.....

FreeBear wrote: »

Mortar for brickwork should normally be softer than the surrounding bricks - This allows you to rake out the joints at a later date and repoint. In addition, should there be any movement/settlement of the wall, it is the mortar joints that will give way rather than the bricks cracking.

On my house, the mortar can be raked out with a screwdriver - External walls have a very soft facing brick held together with lime mortar.

Tip - When you come to put the bricks back, mix up a weak mortar with say six parts [STRIKE]sharp [/STRIKE]sand to one part cement with a tiny drop of washing up liquid added.

It more likely to be building sand.