Crumbling Brickwork
Bricks that are flaking, crumbling, or breaking apart on the face, particularly on exposed walls.
What Is Causing This?
- 1Frost damage from water soaking into porous bricks and freezing
- 2Salt crystallisation inside the brick surface (spalling)
- 3Soft handmade bricks used in older properties reaching end of life
How Urgent Is This?
This should be fixed in the coming weeks. Leaving it may allow the problem to worsen and cost more to repair.
What Needs to Be Done
A bricklayer will cut out badly damaged bricks and replace them with matching reclaimed or new bricks. Surrounding brickwork will be repointed to prevent further water ingress.
How Much Will It Cost?
National average estimate
Labour: £608 – £1,617 | Materials: £402 – £1,205
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Some fixes for this problem may require planning permission or building regulations approval. Check if your project needs permission:
How to Prevent This
Maintain pointing to stop water entering the brickwork. Avoid using cement-rich mortars on older brick which traps moisture. Apply a breathable water repellent if appropriate.
Related Problems
The face of bricks flaking or breaking away in layers, leaving a rough, pitted surface.
Mortar joints that are cracking, falling out, or crumbling away, leaving the brickwork exposed.
The mortar between bricks is cracking, crumbling, or falling out, leaving gaps in the brickwork.
Other Bricklayer Problems
Individual bricks with cracks running through them, sometimes in a pattern across multiple bricks.
Mortar joints that are cracking, falling out, or crumbling away, leaving the brickwork exposed.
Damp, dark, or stained areas appearing on an exterior brick wall, especially after rain.
A brick wall that has tilted or is leaning away from its original vertical position.