Cleaning Brickwork prior to applying Stormdry

[John74813]

Hi

Can I get some advice please - I've had some work done on the front of my house to fix an issue with water ingress. I now need to paint it with Stormdry (Water repellent). I have two questions I would appreciate your advice on please:

1. What can I clean the blackened brickwork with? I've tried Spear and Jackson spray and leave but it doesn't seem to have done anything.
2. Is there anything I can do to make the new bricks/pointing blend in better? Or will it do so over time?

Thanks in advance
J

 

[Wayners]

You need a nylon brush and cleaner.
Something like.

https://amzn.eu/d/jaURpb2

 

[John74813]

https://amzn.eu/d/jaURpb2

Thanks Wayners, that will clean up my old bricks/mortar? I think they are blackened because it's so exposed and they're constantly wet when it's raining

 

[Wayners]

Just need to clean the best you can then treat.
You can hire a jet wash or get a company in but you need to be careful not to damage bricks.

 

[foxhole]

Can’t think of any good reason to apply stormdry to brickwork , needs to be able to breath to avoid damp .

 

[John74813]

Just need to clean the best you can then treat.
You can hire a jet wash or get a company in but you need to be careful not to damage bricks.

Ok thank you

Can’t think of any good reason to apply stormdry to brickwork , needs to be able to breath to avoid damp .

Damp surveyor suggested it - Stormdry still allows the bricks to breathe.

 

[mrrusty]

Damp surveyor suggested it - Stormdry still allows the bricks to breathe.

Since brick houses, well designed and built properly, don't require additional surface coatings to stay dry, it does beg the question why yours needs it.

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I'd use a DIY pressure washer, with the gentler fan jet - not the cone one that is a spinning needle jet. A DIY one will be reasonably gentle, a hired or commerical one might be a bit too hefty. If you're stripping the surface then stop.

Lots of people recommend StormDry, but I don't know how many are sponsored by them.

Vapour Permeability & The Truth About Stormdry - Skill Builder

Roger carries out some vapour permeability tests to see if the claims made by Safeguard Stormdry are

skill-builder.uk

I used something similar on my previous house, it worked very well.

If there's green or black staining within the brick after washing then it needs chemical treatment to kill the moss or whatever's growing there. Let everything dry before StormDry, probably not the best time of year for it now.

 

[aveatry]

Storm dry is a bit of a marmite thing on here.
It can be useful, I have used it on the top chimney flouncing mortar and after repointing the chimney I used it only on the mortar and some bricks that had a top facing the sky. I also used it after I had redone some valley mortar and I used it on the ridge tile mortar. But I would not consider it for painting all the brick face.

 

[John74813]

Since brick houses, well designed and built properly, don't require additional surface coatings to stay dry, it does beg the question why yours needs it.

The point of my post wasn't really to discuss whether I need Stormdry or not, perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned that.

Anyway, I have a cantilever balcony and water is getting into the cavity somehow and tracking along the steel beam into the internal part of the house in the garage. The work I'm getting done is a multi pronged approach including replacement of Juliette balcony, ensuring cavity tray ~1.5m higher is up to scratch, repointing, and for good measure (while scaffolding is in place) covering it all with Stormdry - a fairly cheap solution which may not even be needed but just want to get it on in while the scaffolding is up.

 

[noseall]

. But I would not consider it for painting all the brick face.

Why not?

 

[aveatry]

Why not?

After reading on here the general consensus seemed to be that it prevents the brick from"breathing"

 

[Ivor Windybottom]

I used something similar, over two entire faces of the building. One was before repointing, as I was doing it and thought every bit of wipe-clean property would be a very good thing! The other was after a pro had repointed.

We had unusually absorbent bricks (they do exist!). I fully expected some efflorescence but was prepared to put up with it. I got absolutely none, no ill effects at all and it was still looking good while beading the rain several years later.

I think the "breathing" thing is a load of rubbish. There are plenty of buildings built with engineering and even glazed bricks that definitely don't "breathe" at all and they're absolutely fine.

Just find whatever means of getting it clean first. It probably needs to be reasonably dry, so not really the right time of year for it. These things are probably all water-based, so any wetness won't be the end of the world but might stop it soaking in as deeply as it would otherwise.

 

[catlad]

I've used stormdry plenty of times, It does need to be dry for a few days before applying and ideally 24 hours after.
As already mentioned not the right time of year as it needs to be above 5 degrees also.

 

[noseall]

After reading on here the general consensus seemed to be that it prevents the brick from"breathing"

Houses needing to breathe is a bit of a myth.
There is evidence however regards high strength (cement based) mortars, wrongly being used along with softer bricks. When really lime based mortars would have fared better.