A question for the brickies

[greencard1]

Most winters I lose the facings from one or two bricks due to frost damage. It's a cavity wall house, and the facings come off the bricks below the blue brick damp course.
The house is built on a bit of a slope, and at the back of the house there are about 8 courses of bricks below the blue bricks. The bricks are not good quality, and when the facings crack off I replace the damaged bricks with engineering bricks. The pointing is good, and pretty much level with the facings.

My question is... If I paint the bricks and pointing below the blue brick damp course with Waterseal, or Stormdry, will it stop the facings from cracking off in the frost?

Thanks. John.

[OLDESOX]

probally not as the damp will rise from below the ground to be fair.soft bricks should not be used below the dpc

[greencard1]

probally not as the damp will rise from below the ground to be fair.soft bricks should not be used below the dpc

Thanks OLDESOX.
I don't think they built very good houses in the 60's.

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

It will help for sure imo and is very cheep and quick to do so why not.

Cheers, Alan

[greencard1]

It will help for sure imo and is very cheep and quick to do so why not.

Cheers, Alan

Just worried that it might make things worse. Might be great sheets cracking off instead of just the odd brick facing if the damp is coming up from the ground.

[OLDESOX]

spalling of the bricks can be because frost or salts build up in the bricks both caused by moisture.
is the ground well drained as it is on a slope towards? the house. a french drain may help if soggy. also would help to stop the moisture rising up the brick work.

[greencard1]

spalling of the bricks can be because frost or salts build up in the bricks both caused by moisture.
is the ground well drained as it is on a slope towards? the house. a french drain may help if soggy. also would help to stop the moisture rising up the brick work.

The house is built on sand; which sounds good for drainage...but I have read that sand gets saturated quickly and then does not drain.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Bob Watson]

As I understand it, the face of bricks "blow" when water gets into the texture/pores/blemishes that give the brick its' aesthetic appearance, when it freezes it expands and blows the face. Water seal would have to stop this happening to be effective. Textured bricks should not be used below damp or as soldiers. I had a customer years ago that insisted on the same bricks used for the wall were to be used for the soldiers, I explained the risk of them blowing and reluctantly laid them, the year after the first winter he was on the phone demanding remedial work, he was told to f**k off!

[greencard1]

As I understand it, the face of bricks "blow" when water gets into the texture/pores/blemishes that give the brick its' aesthetic appearance, when it freezes it expands and blows the face. Water seal would have to stop this happening to be effective. Textured bricks should not be used below damp or as soldiers. I had a customer years ago that insisted on the same bricks used for the wall were to be used for the soldiers, I explained the risk of them blowing and reluctantly laid them, the year after the first winter he was on the phone demanding remedial work, he was told to f**k off!

Thanks Bob.

The bricks below the damp course are different to the bricks above that the house is built with; but they are not engineering bricks, and they are textured.

The house was built in 1968. I suspect everyone was listening to the Rolling Stones and smoking wacky backy.

[whitey79]

Ronseal won’t help it won’t stop the moisture pulling up through the middle of the brick the caparilary action draws it up and side ways worst brick I find are yellow there a nightmare for blowing

[greencard1]

I might leave well alone.
There were no damaged bricks after this winter, probably because there were no severe frosts.

Thanks for the advice.