How to Refinish Exterior Brick

Exterior bricks can develop efflorescence and other stains.

A brick exterior on your home can provide a durable and eye-pleasing finish. Brick requires very little maintenance and is not easily damaged or stained. However, over time, the brick or joining mortar on your home may become dirty, attract mildew or crack and break. Brick and mortar can also develop efflorescence, which is a result of salts in the mortar leaking to the surface and staining and deteriorating it. Proper cleaning and restoration can return your brick exterior to its original good looks and durability.

Things You'll Need

• Goggles and gloves
• White vinegar
• Water
• Wire brush
• Muriatic acid
• Bleach
• Slim cold chisel
• Hammer
• Brush
• Mortar
• Trowel
• Masonry sealer

Instructions

Cleaning

1. Wear protective goggles and gloves when working with chemical or acidic cleaning and restoring products to protect eyes and skin.

2. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water. Apply this mixture to areas of efflorescence on your brick. Scrub efflorescence away with a wire brush.

3. Mix one part muriatic acid to 10 parts water and apply to the efflorescence. Scrub away with the wire brush until all efflorescence is removed.

4. Rinse the wall thoroughly with clean water (from a hose or manually) to remove residual acid wash and vinegar.

5. Clean away mildew stains with a mixture of equal parts bleach and water. Only use bleach if there is no vegetation around your home, as bleach will kill plants.

6. Inspect the wall for damaged or deteriorating brick or mortar. If you find none, your refinishing project is complete. However, damaged walls may need to be pointed, or partially replaced.

Pointing

1. Remove chipped or loosened mortar with a slim cold chisel and a hammer. Remove the damaged material to at least ½ inch to ensure it is gone. Brush the joints thoroughly to remove residual dust.

2. Apply a thin layer of water to the areas to be pointed; this will remove residual dust and will prevent the existing mortar from drawing all of the moisture out of the new mortar, which could result in cracking.

3. Add water to your mortar mix until it forms a thick paste; do not add too much water or the mixture will be too runny to stick to the wall. Allow the paste to settle for five minutes.

4. Apply the new mortar to the damaged areas using a pointing trowel. Remove excess mortar from the bricks with the edge of the trail or with a curved brick jointer. For easiest application, fill the vertical joints first, followed by the horizontal ones.

5. Allow the mortar to cure for one to two weeks, depending on your product's instructions. Apply a coat of masonry sealer to the entire surface, both brick and mortar, to prevent further damage from water or dirt.

Tips & Warnings

• Find the chemicals and materials for this project at hardware and home improvement stores. Purchase mortar pre-mixed, or combine one part masonry cement with three parts fine sand to make your own.

• Apply masonry sealer to large areas with a pump sprayer, or simply paint it on.

• Large or severely damaged areas of a brick wall should be pointed or replaced by a professional; do not tackle such a project unless you are confident in your ability to fix the damage without causing more.

• Muriatic acid can be extremely dangerous if you come in contact with it. Wear protective materials and use muriatic acid only in a well-ventilated area. Keep it away from extreme heat or flame sources.

References

• On the House: Restoring Brick
• Daily Herald: How to Keep Your Home's Brick Exterior in Top Shape