How to Repair a Nail Hole in a Brick Wall

Nails in a brick wall, whether it's interior or exterior, leave behind unattractive holes once removed. Leaving the nails in place can lead to rust marks as the nail oxidizes, especially on exterior brick. Removing the nail and fixing the masonry correctly ensures the patch work blends in with the surrounding brick, rendering the repair virtually invisible. The same methods for repairing nail holes also work for screws and drilled holes in the masonry.

Clawed hammer
Drill
Masonry bit
Mortar mix
Disposable cup
Paint stirrer
Brick dust
Putty knife
Coarse rag

Instructions

- 1
  Pull the nail out of the brick with a clawed hammer. For stubborn nails, drill into the brick on either side of the nail with a masonry bit to loosen the nail and widen the hole before pulling out the nail.
- 2
  Combine the mortar mix with water in a disposable cup. Use the water-to-mortar ratio recommended on the package. Properly mixed mortar is thick but fluid enough to apply easily, with a consistency similar to oatmeal.
- 3
  Sprinkle brick dust into the mortar. Mix the dust in with a paint stirrer. Continue adding dust until the mortar looks similar in color to the existing brick.
- 4
  Force the mortar into the nail hole with a putty knife. Smooth the surface of the mortar by scraping the excess away with the knife.
- 5
  Rub the mortar with a coarse-texture rag once the mortar has set but before it dries completely. Use the rag to create a texture in the filler similar to that of the surrounding brick.

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