How-to: Brick Restoration

Mix 2 Tbsp. of dish soap with a gallon of warm water, and mix until the soap forms a froth. Thoroughly wet the bristle brush.

Scrub the bricks with the bristle brush, making sure you scrub until all of the debris has been removed. Wet the brush regularly as you clean all of the bricks. Allow the wall to completely dry, which could take two to three days.

Inspect the wall for white powdery stains, which is a sign that water has seeped through the bricks at some point. This is quite common, and the stains will need to be removed with a specialized masonry cleaner.

Thoroughly wet the part of the wall you want to clean, and mix the masonry cleaner according to the instructions on the packet. Apply the masonry cleaner to the area and leave on a few minutes. You should follow the instructions on the packet for exact timings of the specific cleaner that you have chosen. Wash the cleaner off the wall and allow to dry.

Check in-between the bricks and make sure the mortar is sound. Use the hammer and chisel to remove any loose mortar. You can buy ready-mixed mortar from your DIY store, and unless you are replacing a lot of it, this will be more than adequate for replacing any mortar you remove. Use your trowel to force the mixture all the way into any holes left after removing old mortar, and apply small amounts rather than trying to fill it all at once, which runs the risk of air bubbles forming. When the gap is completely filled, smooth the area over with the tip of the trowel.

Paint the bricks with a coat of 100-percent acrylic elastomeric wall coating to seal the wall. Allow this to dry completely.

Paint the bricks with masonry paint to either restore the brick to its original color or to give it a completely new look.