Remedial Building Australia
Technical Remedial Building Platform
← Back to Façade & External Envelope

Façade & External Envelope

Brickwork Deterioration

Brickwork deterioration in Class 2 buildings encompasses spalling of brick faces, progressive mortar joint failure, salt efflorescence, cracking from absent movement joints and wall tie corrosion in cavity wall construction. Brick facade systems are exposed to repeated wetting and drying, thermal movement and salt attack — particularly in coastal and humid climates. Mortar joint failure allows moisture to enter the cavity, wet the wall ties and penetrate to the internal leaf, driving progressive deterioration that is disproportionately expensive to remediate if left unaddressed.

Common Signs

  • Spalling or flaking of brick face material
  • White efflorescence deposits on brick surfaces
  • Recessed, crumbling or hollow mortar joints
  • Horizontal or stepped cracking through mortar beds
  • Rust staining from corroding wall ties bleeding through the face
  • Displaced or bulging brickwork sections
  • Blocked or absent weepholes at base of cavity

Common Causes

  • Mortar too strong relative to the brick — restrains natural movement
  • Absent or blocked expansion and movement joints
  • Corroded or failed wall ties in cavity construction
  • Salt crystallisation from moisture cycling in porous bricks
  • Incorrectly installed or absent flashings and weepholes
  • Use of Portland cement mortar over softer heritage bricks
  • Water penetration at failed sealants, sills and head flashings

Risk of Neglect

  • Water ingress through failed mortar joints causing internal moisture damage.
  • Progressive brick spalling creating falling hazards at height.
  • Wall tie corrosion leading to loss of structural wall tie connection and potential leaf separation.
  • Salt crystallisation causing accelerating brick face deterioration.
  • Inadequate weather resistance from missing or blocked weepholes.
  • Cracking from thermal and moisture movement in absent movement joints.
  • Significant remediation cost once widespread wall tie failure is confirmed.

Inspection Requirements

  • Inspect the full facade for spalling, cracking, displacement and mortar joint deterioration across all elevations.
  • Assess mortar joint depth and condition — recessed, crumbling or hollow mortar joints indicate weathering failure and require repointing.
  • Check for efflorescence (white salt deposits) on brick faces as an indicator of moisture movement through the wall.
  • Inspect expansion and movement joints across the facade — absence or blockage with mortar is a primary cause of brickwork cracking.
  • Assess the condition of wall ties by probing mortar joints at regular intervals — corroded or absent ties are a serious structural concern.
  • Inspect weepholes at the base of cavity walls and at lintel levels to confirm they are clear and functioning.
  • Check window and door head flashings and sill flashings for correct installation, continuity and condition.
  • Engage a structural engineer where wall tie failure, significant cracking or displaced brickwork is identified.
Start Inspection Checklist

Create a project inspection record, add defect locations, upload photos, and save notes for scope writing.

Typical Repair Methodology

Brickwork remediation requires careful selection of compatible materials. Over-strong mortar mixes on soft or heritage bricks cause further spalling and must be avoided.

  1. 01.Erect scaffolding to provide safe access to all affected brickwork areas across the facade.
  2. 02.Conduct a hammer sounding survey to identify hollow or de-bonded bricks — mark boundaries for removal.
  3. 03.Remove all spalled, cracked and structurally unsound bricks from the affected areas by careful cutting to minimise impact on adjacent sound bricks.
  4. 04.Source matching replacement bricks — consider weathering, colour variation and local availability when selecting materials.
  5. 05.Clean and prepare mortar beds and perpend joints in the opening before installing replacement bricks.
  6. 06.Install replacement bricks using a compatible mortar mix matched to the existing in strength and composition.
  7. 07.Rake out all deteriorated mortar joints across the repointing scope to a depth of 20 mm using an angle grinder or oscillating tool.
  8. 08.Clean all raked joints with compressed air or a stiff brush to remove all dust and loose material before repointing.
  9. 09.Repoint raked joints with a pre-bagged pointing mortar matched to the existing in colour, texture and strength.
  10. 10.Tool joints to match the existing profile — ironed, flush or raked as specified.
  11. 11.Install movement joints at all structural junctions, control joints and at maximum 8 m centres where absent, in accordance with AS 3700.
  12. 12.Clear all blocked weepholes and install new weepholes at 600 mm centres where absent or missing.
  13. 13.Apply a penetrating silane water repellent treatment to the completed brickwork where specified by the engineer.
  14. 14.Inspect and rectify flashings at all window and door heads, sills and cavity walls where defective.

Related Repair Systems

  • Masonry repointing and mortar repair systems
  • Wall tie replacement systems
  • Movement joint installation and sealant systems
  • Brick replacement and matching programmes
  • Penetrating silane water repellent systems
Open Repair Systems →