Brickwork
Brickwork is one of the most common construction materials in use today, providing both structural integrity and in some instances aesthetic value. Like all other elements in the built environment, brickwork often requires periodic maintenance and repair.
Some of the most common faults which develop in brickwork are:
- Cracking
- Degradation of the brick course pointing (mortar between bricks)
- Efflorescence and Crypto-efflorescence which are usually associated with rising damp
- Brick tie failure in double brick walls often as a result of corrosion and most prevalent in coastal areas.
All of these faults can dramatically reduce the longevity and structural integrity of a building, all must be thoroughly investigated to ensure that the correct materials and correct method of repair are selected. TA Taylor (Aust) Pty Ltd have over 30 years experience in the investigation and repair of the various failures that occur in brickwork. Our experience is your guarantee.
Areas of speciality
- Investigation and Reporting
- Damp course replacement
- Brick and brick course repairs
- Brick Tie Replacement
- Re-pointing
- Rendering
- Efflorescence treatments
We specialize in crack repairs and replacing broken brick due to foundation settling, vehicle damage, plumbing repair damage, and deterioration problems. These repairs involve several important details to insure they are both professional looking and long lasting.
Determining Scope of Work
The first critical step in any repair is to properly identify what needs to be done. TA Taylor (Aust) Pty Ltd has over 20 years of relevant masonry experience, and can help you determine a reasonable scope of work based on your needs and wishes. Your desire to simply improve the appearance of your brick may alone determine your needs. Some minor imperfections in your brickwork may not require repair at all, such as fine hairline cracks or minor erosion of mortar. However, delaying other repairs could allow damage to other components to your home. For example, broken brick and cracked mortar joints wider than 1.4mm (Can you insert a 5 cent coin in the crack?) not only look bad, but can also allow water penetration with resulting damage to other construction materials behind the wall. TA Taylor (Aust) Pty Ltd can help you prioritize any necessary brick repair issues and give you a free written estimate for restoring your home's brickwork to its original (or even improved) beauty and function.
Brick Match
Damaged, cracked, or severely deteriorated brick should almost always be sawed out of the wall and replaced with new units. If you don't have extra matching bricks, leave it to us to find the best available match. TA Taylor (Aust) Pty Ltd's large inventory of rare and hard-to-find brick, and expertise in finding or creating special colors and textures is critical to the process. Trust us, "Brick that don't match will look like a patch." Many of our jobs include re-doing such repairs performed by others.
Repairing Mortar
Repairing mortar properly, or "repointing," is similar to a dentist's repair on a tooth's cavity - TA Taylor (Aust) Pty Ltd doesn't simply fill the hole in a one-step procedure. Severely deteriorated or cracked mortar joints must first be ground or chiseled out to a minimum depth of 17mm and the cavity cleaned out thoroughly. For repairs, mortar should be pre-shrunk, and the cavity moistened before placing the new mortar. These steps take additional time but help to insure proper bonding of the original mortar to the new mortar, and helps prevent shrinking as it dries. Mortar should be custom-blended to match existing.
Expansion Joints
The Building Code of Australia requires vertical expansion joints to be placed in brick walls on new construction to help prevent settling cracks. These "seams" in the walls are quite effective when spaced properly, and can also be added to existing homes and buildings that have suffered from foundation settling. After the crack and brick repairs are completed, expansion joints can be cut completely through the brick and mortar, and caulk joints created that will allow minor expansion and contraction of the adjacent veneer walls without re-cracking the brick and mortar joints. "Hind-sight is 20-20," so it's a good idea to add one or more where you know settling problems exist, usually under windows or in the middle of a long wall, such as on the side of the garage. This represents an additional expense, but should be considered preventive maintenance since it often eliminates the need to repair cracks to the same areas over and over again. Even if you are considering selling your home, it may give you peace of mind that you are transferring the property without significant risk that the brick may re-crack.
We're here to help - If we can help you with any of these services, please give us a call or to request an appointment today!
