Exterior brick houses are a common sight across Australia. It remains a good building material, offering strength and insulation. However, over time the color of the brick will fade and the cement between the bricks will start to crack. It can drastically reduce the appeal of your home. It can also create a number of opportunities for pests to enter your house and provide you with issues.
Fortunately, it’s possible to repair the cement and restore the color. You simply need to know how!
Cement Replacement
The cement between each brick holds everything together. However, it is constantly attacked by wind, rain, and even the sun. Eventually, it will start to disintegrate and fall out of the wall. At this point, you need to engage a professional in brick repointing. It is possible to do this yourself but it is a tedious and slow job. The professionals will get it right.
In effect, they scrape the cement out between the bricks to a depth of an inch and then add new. You can choose the color of the re-pointing cement, either to match the original or to have a change. Coating the cement in a waterproof covering will help it to look good for longer and extend its life.
Cleaning The Brick
To restore the color of your bricks you’ll need to start by cleaning them. A standard pressure washer will be the best option as it has the power to push mold, algae, and other types of dirt off the brick. In most cases, this will be enough to remove the dirt. However, you’re certain to come across a more stubborn section, such as the area of your home that doesn’t get as much sunlight.
You can use a brush to scrub these areas. If necessary, it is even possible to use a detergent created for this task.
Once the walls are clean you’ll need to leave them to dry, ideally at least 24 hours.
This should restore the color of your brick.
Sealing It
The next step is to protect that color or enhance it. You can purchase a clear brick sealer that can be painted onto your brick walls. This will give the color an additional shine and protect it against the elements. In short, your house will look better for longer.
However, you can also take this opportunity to adjust the hue of your home. Instead of using a clear sealer, you can get sealers with hints of color. This can darken or lighten your existing exterior walls, effectively transforming your home.
You should note that if you plan to adjust the color of your brick it is advisable to do the re-pointing after the color restoration. This will help to ensure the cement is the color you want it to be and not the same hue as your bricks.
It is time-consuming to re-point and clean exterior walls, but the results are always worth it. As a bonus, it will look this good for years!