Brick Facing Is Coming Loose

Cause

• Brick façade is applied to a building with bonding mortar. It may also be anchored to a wood frame that's in turn fastened to the building. There are times when the mortar may lose its strength or the anchor may weaken, causing the facing to detach. These situations may result from severe weathering over time. However, the detachment can also be caused by weather events such as a hurricane or straight-line winds. In some cases, the loosened facing may be caused by improper workmanship.

Repair Vs. Replace

• If you notice the loosened brick facing early on, it may be possible to have it repaired. If this is possible, the loosened area will be re-anchored by injecting a bonding agent into a small drilled hole or through an existing crack. If the loosening is advanced, you'll likely have to replace that portion of the façade with new façade. In most cases, you won’t have to replace more than the loosened area; if residual damage has occurred, however, you may have to replace a larger section than expected.

Consideration

• When you have to replace a portion of the brick facing, you usually won’t be able to find facing that's an exact match to the existing façade. This is because the façade has aged and become weathered over time. In some cases, you may be able to find used or reclaimed façade that's a closer match than new facing. If you aren’t happy with the way the replaced facing looks against the old facing, replace the entire wall.

Warning

• Weak brick facing is a hazard, especially if it's higher up on a building, because it can fall off and cause injury. As such, loose brick facing should be repaired or replaced as soon as possible. While it may not be as visually pleasing, you should at least remove the loosened area of the façade if you can't get it repaired right away.