Do-it-Yourself: Repair Brick Foundation Piles

Sweep chipped and damaged mortar from between the joints with a stiff wire brush. Chip away solid mortar in the damaged area with a hammer and cold chisel, then sweep out the debris.

Spray the pilings down with a hose to soak them, and allow the surface of the bricks to dry overnight. Adding moisture to the bricks prevents them from absorbing moisture from the mortar, which can cause the mortar to crack.

Mix mortar, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Spray the surface of the bricks again to get them damp, but not completely soaked.

Fill the cracks in the horizontal joints with mortar. Completely fill the joint with mortar by pushing it toward the back with a trowel. After patching the horizontal joints, fill the vertical joints. Wipe off any mortar that gets onto the brick face to prevent staining.

Smooth the surface of the mortar inside the joints with a jointer or the trowel.

Test the firmness of the mortar every few minutes. When the mortar is firm to the touch, sweep a brush diagonally across the surface to remove any bits of dry mortar.

Keep the bricks and mortar damp for the next three days by spraying them down with the hose and covering them with a tarp.