Clean Mortar Off Bricks

Dried-on mortar over the face of brick is unsightly and can ruin the appearance of a wall. The easiest way to have clean bricks is to prevent mortar splatter during wall construction, but you can also chisel off the mortar once it's dried. For mortar that you can't remove regardless of what you do, using muriatic acid to remove the stubborn mortar may be a good solution. Irrespective of your situation, it's important that you follow the correct procedures and take safety precautions when cleaning mortar off of bricks.

Steps

Cleaning off Wet Mortar

  1. Use the edge of a trowel to even out the mortar with the wall face. Use a forward lifting and rolling motion with the short edge of your trowel to even out the mortar with the face of the brick. Continue to do this as you lay new bricks to prevent mortar from bunching up and creating large chunks on the bricks.[1]
  2. Rub off remaining mortar dust with a medium-soft bristle brush. The goal is to brush away dust on the face of your brick rather than wiping the mortar dust deeper into the brick. Avoid pressing down on the brush and wipe away from the surface of the brick. Use a back and forth motion until the mortar dust on the face of your wall is removed.[2]
  3. Set up a scaffold 2 inches (5.08cm) from the wall to prevent mortar splatter. A scaffold should be set up 2 inches (5.08cm) from the wall to prevent mortar splatter at the base of your wall. Scaffold boards that are closest to the wall should be angled away from the wall.[1]
  4. Protect the base of your wall with a drop cloth or plastic sheet. Lay down straw, fabric drop cloths, or plastic sheeting on the base of the wall to prevent mortar drippings from staining the base of your wall. These drop clothes should extend 3 to 4 feet (91.44 cm) from the base of your wall.[3]
  5. Allow larger clumps of mortar to dry before removing them. If you take all of these precautionary measures, but large clumps of mortar still end up on your wall, you should allow them to dry and then attempt to remove them using the chisel or acid method.

Removing Dry Mortar with a Chisel

  1. Wet down the brick with a garden hose. Ensure that the mortar has had at least 7 days to dry before trying to remove the dried on mortar. Saturating the wall with water before you chisel will make removing the mortar easier and can protect your bricks from being damaged. Fully saturate the brick before you start working with a garden hose or with buckets of water.[4]
  2. Tap the chisel parallel to the brick to remove excess mortar. Hold the chisel at a 20° to 30° angle against the face of your wall on areas that have built-up mortar. Lightly tap on the end of the chisel and start to break the dried up mortar from off the wall. Start from the top and work your way to the bottom. Continue to work slowly and carefully until most of the mortar is removed from the wall.[4]
    • Break up larger pieces of mortar into smaller more manageable pieces instead of trying to remove it all at once.
    • Lime mortar is easier to remove than cement based mortar using this method.
  3. Wipe off excess mortar with a hard wire brush. Go in a back and forth motion over the face of the brick to remove any broken up mortar dust. Try to scrape off any stubborn mortar that wasn't removed from chiseling. Do not spend too much time in one area or you may discolor the brick in that area.[5]

Using Muriatic Acid to Remove Dried Mortar

  1. Wear the proper safety equipment. Wear acid-proof gloves, goggles, and an NIOSH-approved respirator equipped with the appropriate acid-grade filter when working with acid. You can find this safety equipment at the hardware store or online. Lay plastic sheets down at the base of the wall to act as drop cloths for the acid.[6]
    • Keep a box of baking soda around to pour it on yourself if acid splashes onto your skin. Caustic chemicals from the muriatic acid could cause chemical burns.
  2. Read the instructions on the back of the acid. Read the information and warnings provided with the product that you've purchased. Follow the dilution amounts and process on the back of the packaging. Typically, you'll want to create a solution that is one part muriatic acid to nine parts water.
    • Never mix muriatic acid with other chemicals.
    • Do not use acid for lightly colored or cream-colored bricks. The acid can discolor them and weaken their joints.[7]
  3. Dilute the muriatic acid. Fill an acid-resistant bucket up with water first, then add the muriatic acid. This will prevent splashback which could potentially spray acid onto you.[7]
  4. Wet down the brick with water. Before you apply the acid to the wall, it's important that it's fully saturated with water. Applying the muriatic acid directly on a dry brick may damage your wall.[7]
  5. Apply the acid with an acid-resistant brush. Purchase an acid resistant brush online so that the bristles don't disintegrate while you apply it to the brick. Dip the brush into the acid solution that you created and apply it in a layer over a small portion of the brick that you want to clean. Apply the acid in a small area to make sure that there isn't an adverse reaction with the brick in your wall.[8]
  6. Let the acid sit for five minutes. Allow the acid to soak into the mortar on the bricks and break it down. If the acid is working, it will start to bubble and fizz when it comes into contact with the mortar. Do not let the acid fully dry on the brick or it could damage them.[8]
    • If you notice that there is discoloration on the brick, stop using the acid.
  7. Scrub the mortar away with a brush. Use a medium bristle brush and scrub the face of the brick vigorously. Avoid scrubbing in the joints of the brick or you may weaken the mortar that holds the brick in place. Scrape the sludge that's created from the mortar and acid onto your drop cloth. Continue to scrub until all of the dried on mortar is removed.[1]
  8. Rinse the acid off with several gallons of water. As you work, make sure that none of the acid dries to the brick. Dried acid can weaken the brick and discolor it. Always keep a garden hose or a bucket filled with water close by and rinse away the acid after you're done scrubbing away the mortar.

Things You'll Need

Cleaning off Wet Mortar

  • Trowel
  • Medium-soft bristle brush
  • Drop cloths or plastic sheets
  • Scaffolding

Removing Dry Mortar with a Chisel

  • Garden hose
  • Bucket
  • Chisel
  • Hardwire brush

Using Muriatic Acid to Remove Dried Mortar

  • Medium bristle brush
  • Muriatic Acid
  • NIOSH-approved respirator
  • Bucket
  • Water

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.forterrabrick.com/files/pdf/tech_notes/cleaning_procedures.pdf
  2. ↑ http://www.gobrick.com/portals/25/docs/technical%20notes/tn20.pdf
  3. ↑ http://www.masonrybc.org/document/manual/2.7.1.pdf
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.hunker.com/12000558/how-to-clean-dried-cement-off-bricks
  5. ↑ http://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/clean-mortar-from-bricks.htm
  6. ↑ http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/infmur.html
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 http://www.ccaa.com.au/imis_prod/documents/Library%20Documents/CCAA%20Datasheets/DS2008RemovalMortarTBR.pdf
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 http://www.finehomebuilding.com/1999/05/01/removing-hardened-mortar-from-brick

You may like

Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Clean_Mortar_Off_Bricks&oldid=303758"