Cement Over Brick?
We noticed a bad peeling spot on the back wall of our building. It’s a layer of cement over a brick wall and peeling by the leader. We used forum recs and now have to deal with the problem of differing diagnoses. One guy says $2,500 to patch the bad spot, BUT, he says, we…
We noticed a bad peeling spot on the back wall of our building. It’s a layer of cement over a brick wall and peeling by the leader. We used forum recs and now have to deal with the problem of differing diagnoses.
One guy says $2,500 to patch the bad spot, BUT, he says, we really should not patch. There’s brick underneath the cement, and he says the “right” thing to do is scrape off all the cement, and repoint the brick wal. Cost $12,000. He says this will last decades.
We talked to one other guy we liked a lot. He says no reason to take off the cement and recommends patching the whole wall, and painting the fire escape (which needs it but not desperately) for $7,700. He says to scrape cement off would be $20,000 or more, but doesn’t see a need.
We had a couple other people look at it, but these were the two we liked the most.
anyone on the forum who can speak to this?
thanks all
Exterior brick, specifically older facades which may have been constructed with common brick, develops a patina over time which helps protect the softer core from the elements. Brick that has not been exposed may suffer accelerated deterioration once the protective covering – be it paint or stucco – is removed.
A wealth of information is available in the NYC Landmarks Preservations Row house Manual. Available for download here – http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/downloads/pdf/pubs/Rowhouse_Manual.pdf Refer to the section on Wall Surfaces on pages 10 through 17. It is an excellent guide for restorations of all types.
You may also request a hard copy by calling the information desk – (212) 669-7817.
Art Malfitano
http://www.amconsultations.com
I went the return to brick route some years back and it was a mistake. The work quoted ended up costing double and taking more then twice as long. In the end the bricks didn’t look or perform that well and I had to seal them (which also cost extra) so they wouldn’t leak. There was a reason so many people coated rather then ‘fixed’ the bricks on the back wall.
I think it matters what is on the bricks to determine whether stripping is doable on many fronts. My bricks had lead paint, stucco and multiple layers of thoroseal on them, so the process was a difficult and costly one.
Over time a cememt or thoroseal coating will trap in moisture. I’m not sure how much concrete you have to contend with, but it the surface of the brick isn’t deteriorating, removal of the concrete and pointing is the best way to go. A good pointing job should last about 30 years.
For comparison, I have an old brick single story structure with a cellar that’s completely throsealed on the inside. I have to redo large swathes of it every year.
As F.L.H. pointed out, most bricks have a hard outer layer and a relatively soft core. A baked potato is the best comparison I’ve heard. Inspect the cement layer that’s delaminating. While you should probably remove the stucco, if the cement layer has brick facing stuck to it, then you’ll probably do more harm than good by removing the cement facing. In that case I’d just patch any damaged/cracked spots.
Removing the cement is the best thing to do. From your description, it doesn’t sound as if it needs to be done immediately. It’s peeling by the leader from rain water so maybe you need a roofer to check the gutter/flashing/scupper.
I had a cement wash on my rear brick facade. Two contractors wanted to attach wire lath and then a stucco coat. I finally found a mason who agreed that the cement should be scraped off and the wall repointed. The brick on the basement level was not in great shape so I had him put a brownstone base there. In addition to being more attractive, the repointing did wonders for indoor comfort in the winter. This was done 20+ years ago and has held up beautifully.
I had the same thing – 20 years ago I had the loose stuff chipped off & the wall Thoro-Sealed. Last year I stripped it to repoint the brick.
Can you post pics? I did a patch-pointing job and then painted with thorocoat last summer, it’s held up great so far.
If there’s actual cement (I take it he means stucco) over the brick, it could be very hard to get off, and might damage the underlying brick. Old kilned brick has a hard surface but is much softer on the inside and if you damage the surface it can erode very fast.