Reply With QuoteLuBee is your woman when it comes to bricks
We've recently had a large wall built at the end of the drive using reclaimed bricks. however now that the wall has dried over the past few weeks it's drying very white. It seems to be a mixture of cement or age I guess from where they were reclaimed. Anyway I have now scrubbed over 3000 bricks using a scrubbing brush and brick acid and the bricks certainly look better and darker but not quite as nice as they do when fully wet. Anyone know of a brick sealer that will give the bricks a permanent wet look (but I don't want a glossy look). I did think about applying some Thompsons water seal but I don't think that darkens bricks that much does it?
Any other ideas as the darkened bricks match the house (which was the plan) but obviously don't now they are drying whiter! (the bricks at the reclamation yard were in stacks of 500 wrapped in plastic so I guess they sweated and kept the moisture in so we didn't notice the lighter colour until they have been able to dry out)
Thanks for any advice on products
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LuBee is your woman when it comes to bricks
We’ve just finished an extension, new bricks though, and they went very white after 3 or 4 months up. The builders have said that it’s perfectly natural and just the salts leaching out. They were at their worst 2 or 3 weeks ago and they’re now almost back to how they were originally. We didn’t try to clean them or anything.
Yeah this isn't the salts as it looks totally different. I'll get a pic tomorrow in daylight....
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A thorough acid cleaning and wash then a matt finish toluene based coating should keep the just laid look.
I'd like to see a photo of the issue.
OK here's a couple of Pics. The closeup is of an untouched corner showing the overall whiteness. The other shot shows 2 things...the distant part of the wall is a part that I've acid cleaned and has dried over the past week or so. The closer part I cleaned yesterday and is still wet (and is ideally the colour I would like the wall to stay looking like but once it dries it will look like the far away bit but still better than the closeup bit
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Last edited by neilma; 21st April 2021 at 09:28.
When you are cleaning the old mortar, paint etc off the faces with acid you are also removing the years of weathering that you get with a reclaimed brick.
I wouldn't recommend anything like Thompsons as you will seal them stop the brick from breathing and may cause more problems in the future with frost damage due to sealing in moisture,
If you want a darker finish I would look at tinting them darker with a brick tint from a company like Bebbingtons https://bebbingtonbrick.co.uk/ that way the integrity and breathability of the brick is retained.
Feel free to drop me a DM if you need any more advice.
I think it looks great. I'd just leave it to the weather and it'll settle down itself.
I agree leave it it looks good and will weather.
Squashy1
Give it a few years to weather down. New brickwork needs time to weather. It’s something that clients that I work for sometimes find this difficult to understand / accept.
If your still not happy then look at tinting. Can be very effective.
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Clean it (As you have been doing) if the effervescence/grubby face really bothers you, but otherwise I would leave it to weather naturally and it will mellow beautifully.
I personally think it looks great.
I’m with the guys I think it looks great s is and will weather nicely
Thx folks. OK I will finish up the acid cleaning and then leave it and see how it goes. Thanks for the suggestions too....
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Good decision - I think it looks good as it is.Originally Posted by neilma
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That’s interesting as was going to coat our gateposts and garden walls in Thompson’s.
Saved me a job
Last edited by Middo; 24th April 2021 at 13:25.
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