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Cracks that occur in the surface of brick wall facings are usually repairable. These usually occur when there is external or internal stress on the wall. Once the brick or mortar cracks, the stress is relieved. Patching these cracks with new mortar can make the wall look new again, but the key to an invisible patch is to make sure that you select a mortar dye that closely matches the color of your wall. Most homeowners can repair cracks to brick facings themselves, without a call to a professional.

1

Put on safety goggles, work gloves and a dust mask before you begin your repair.

2

Chip away loose pieces of brick using a chisel. If the pieces are large enough to glue back on, set these aside.

Amazon's Choice for brick crack repair. Red Devil 0645 Pre-Mixed Concrete Patch Squeeze Tube, 5.5 oz. 3.8 out of 5 stars 62. Get it as soon as Thu, Aug 8. Minor foundation cracks may cost as little as $500, whereas major foundation repairs can be $10,000 or more. The sooner you have cracks repaired, the less expensive the repair will likely be. Cracks in exterior brick walls can be repaired for $450 to $600 for a one-story home with small cracks.

3

Remove mortar that has cracked using a chisel and a hammer. Set the end of the chisel close to the center of the damaged area of mortar, and tap the other end with the hammer. When repointing, it’s necessary to remove the old mortar because the new mortar will not stick to it.

4

Sweep dust and dirt from between the cracks of the remaining brickwork using a stiff-bristled brush.

5

Mix the mortar so that you have 3 parts sand to 1 part mortar. For example, if you add three shovels sand, mix this with one shovel of mortar in a large bucket. Mix the two with about 1/2 gallon of water.

6

Mix the mortar, sand and water until you have a slightly runny paste. You may have to add water or mortar and sand to achieve this consistency. Add some mortar dye to the mix until it is a color that is slightly darker than the bricks on your walls. Make a separate mixture to apply to the mortar joints.

7

Trowel the mortar into the cracks on the surface of the brick. If you’ve removed sections of mortar, apply uncolored mortar into these spaces so that it matches the other joints. Use the trowel to pack the mortar tightly into each crack and then feather it out so that the patch is level with the brick face. You may need a mortar-shaping tool to replicate the appearance of existing mortar joints.

8

Press any rescued chips of brick into the mortar to mask the cracks further.

9

Leave the mortar to dry for two hours. Press a damp sponge onto the surface of the brick to remove excess mortar.

10

Leave the mortar to cure for an additional 24 to 48 hours.

Things You Will Need

• Safety goggles
• Work gloves
• Dust mask
• Cold chisel
• Hammer
• Stiff-bristle brush
• Sand
• Mortar
• Shovel
• Large bucket
• Mortar dye
• Trowel
• Mortar shaping tool
• Sponge

Tip

• Cracks in brick facings are usually divided into two categories: passive and active. Passive cracks do not increase in width or length, but active cracks do. Passive cracks can be easily repaired and will not come back. Determining which category the cracks in your wall have developed requires that you observe them for a prolonged period to see if they expand.

About the Author

Renee Miller began writing professionally in 2008, contributing to websites and the 'Community Press' newspaper. She is co-founder of On Fiction Writing, a website for writers. Miller holds a diploma in social services from Clarke College in Belleville, Ontario.

Photo Credits

• Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

Fire Brick Crack Repair

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Brick Oven Crack Repair

In a masonry fireplace, firebrick is used to construct the firebox. Refractory brick panels line the firebox of a prefabricated metal fireplace. In both cases, the bricks and fireclay mortar are designed to withstand extreme temperatures. However, over time, the brick, mortar, or panels can crack and crumble, creating a serious fire hazard.

Here’s what you need to do to address these problems:

Brick Crack Repair Cost

• If a brick in a masonry fireplace cracks, you need to patch it. If the brick is crumbling, have it replaced with a new firebrick embedded in refractory mortar.

• If the mortar joints in a firebox are crumbling, chisel out the old mortar and replace it with new mortar. This process, known as tuckpointing, is the same one you follow to replace or repair mortar joints in any brick structure. The only difference is that in a firebox, you must use refractory mortar, which is specially designed to withstand extreme temperatures.

• If the integrity of the majority of the firebrick and mortar in the firebox is in question, have a qualified chimney sweep or masonry contractor inspect it. If replacement is in order, the job is best left to a pro.

• If a panel of a prefabricated metal fireplace develops extensive cracks or is beginning to crumble, replace it with a new panel. This is a job that most do-it-yourselfers can handle: Simply remove the old panel by unscrewing the screws that hold it in place and install the new panel; it should fit snuggly against the adjoining panels. When replacing a rear panel, remove the side panels first. Refractory mortar is not generally needed, because the corners are designed to fit snuggly against one another.

  To make the job of finding a replacement panel easy, jot down the fireplace make and model number. (You can find these numbers on a metal plate just inside the opening of the firebox.) Give this information to the manufacturer or an installing dealer. Although replacement panels are often a stock item, a special order may be required, which can take from a few days to a couple of weeks. Don’t use the fireplace until a full and final repair has been made.

Brick Crack Repair Melbourne

Repairing minor cracks and mortar joints in prefabricated metal fireplaces is essentially the same as with a brick firebox.