Replacing a brick

[Merlin5]

Hello chaps. I've never done any brickwork in my life but decided to have a go at replacing half a brick that was missing in the front wall of my house. Well actually, on my neighbour's side. He mentioned it to me one day while we were chatting and I said I'd have a go at it. I wonder what you think of my effort.

I chiselled out old lumpy mortar in the hole and brushed away any loose bits.



I have a big bag of coarse sharp sand but was told it's not really suitable so I bought builders sand. A few days ago I put the lighter brick on a bed of sand, marked it with a ruler and felt tip and cut it. First attempt of putting the brick in place was not good. I'd made a 3:1 mortar mix but I didn't make it wet enough, and when buttering the top and sides of the brick it kept falling off! I also struggled to get any more mortar into the gaps as it kept falling off plus the gauging trowel wasn't suitable to do that. So I scooped it all out while it was still wet.

Tried again yesterday with a 4:1 mix and more water. I also sprayed the adjoining bricks and the new brick with water as I'd seen done on youtube videos.

Much better. I'd also gone out and bought a 5" pointing trowel, a tuck pointer and a jointing iron. I never got to use the jointing iron but the tuck pointer was awesome for getting the mortar pressed into the gaps right to the back. I held this tool up against the wall with my left hand to prevent lots of mortar falling to the ground.


Does this mix look about right? It clung to the brick better when I buttered it.



I used the pointing trowel for a first ever attempt at weatherstruck pointing which for a first try was 'ok' I think? Can I sand the pointing to smooth off some of my somewhat shoddy rough areas and will the pointing lighten up in colour? Also my bottom horizontal line of pointing looks a little thick?

 

[Celeronmanuk]

Well done for having a go. Somethings that would have made it better would be better brick match, light brush over on the diagonal with a soft brush. Mortar colour will change over the next few weeks, but you've got 2/3 colours up there already!

 

[Merlin5]

Well done for having a go. Somethings that would have made it better would be better brick match, light brush over on the diagonal with a soft brush. Mortar colour will change over the next few weeks, but you've got 2 colours up there already!

Thanks. Yeah, my neighbour was going to try and a get a better brick match but in the end I used a brick I happened to have. Actually, I also had this darker brick which I thought was going to blend better but people told me to use the lighter one.




Ah right, I didn't realise it takes weeks to change colour.

I've cleaned my tools with soapy water but there's stains on both trowels. They're new, I only used them for this job but I don't know if they're stains from the mortar and if they can be removed or rust? I think they're carbon steel.

 

[Celeronmanuk]

Bricks are London stocks I would think(and looking at your location), very easy to get.

Your tools look clean to me! Just keep them dry and all is good.

 

[whall3y]

Looks neat and tidy for a first time job!

 

[Merlin5]

Thanks whall3y, that's encouraging!

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

you used magic didn’t you merlin?

 

[Merlin5]

you used magic didn’t you merlin?

Yes, I channelled the energy of my magic wand and boom, there before my very eyes was a freshly cemented brick. I also enlisted the help of Pink Floyd.

 

[^woody^]

Nice effort.

If you do any more, all I'd suggest is that you perfect your ironing (ie smoothing) of the mortar with the trowel. This is what gives it the weathering performance that it wont get with a rough surface, so is quite important - not for that half brick maybe, but in general.

 

[Merlin5]

Thanks woody. Yes you're right, it's not smooth enough. And I didn't really get the horizontal pointing that good. I think I was so pleased that I managed to get the job done I was scared to disturb the mortar too much. I think there's some other areas of brickwork that need pointing so I'm looking forward (weather permitting) to getting some more practise in.

 

[23vc]

Iron it after it’s gone off a bit too rather than when you first put it in if it’s wettish