1.

3 Brick Masonry Construction

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

The following information relates to the construction of brick walls to meet AS3700, the design and aesthetic
requirements.

Mortar
AS3700: 2001, Table 10.1 gives the options for mortar mixes classified as M1 to M4. M1 mortars are for
restoration applications. M2 mortars are for use in interior walls above dampcourse or in exterior walls above
dampcourse if more than one km from a body of salt water and 10 km from a surf coast and the wall has
protection from water ingress above. M3 and M4 mortars are those most commonly used in construction. Table
11 gives the proportions of the most commonly used mortars. Other deemed-to-satisfy compositions are given in
AS3700. Special mortars that are tested and shown to meet requirements are allowed with verification on site.
Note: Proportions are by volume and should be measured with a bucket or gauge box, NOT A SHOVEL.
Table 11. Typical Mortar Mixes
Mix proportions by volume
Portland or
Hydrated
Blended Cement
Lime
Sand

Mortar
Type

Durability
Class

M1

PRO

No

M2

PRO

No

M3

GP

No

M3

GP

Yes

M4

EXP

412

No

M4

EXP

Yes

Water
Thickener*

Refer to page 1.104 for description of Durability Class. *Methylcellulose type, not air entrainers such as detergent.

Where masonry strength is crucial, trial walls should be constructed with the bricks and mortar to be used on
the job, then tested before construction commences. Masonry bond strength is related to the suction of the
bricks, the particle size distribution of the sand, cement content, additive contents, etc. For many jobs these
panels can also be used as physical samples of the required quality of the bricklaying and cleaning.
Note: AS 3700 allows the use of:

Cements complying with AS 3972 or AS 1316

Lime complying with AS 1672.1

Sand that is free of any deleterious materials

Water that is free from deleterious materials and

Admixtures including plasticisers, air entraining agents and set retarders complying with AS1478.1,
cellulose-type water thickeners, colouring pigments complying with BS EN 12878 and bonding polymers. t

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

Mortar (continued)
No other material may be used until tests on masonry constructed with the mortar, made with the material or
admixture shows the masonry complies with the standards requirements for compressive strength, flexural
strength and durability.
Deleterious materials are those reducing the strength or durability of the masonry and including anything that
attacks the built-in components. This means the use of fire clay, detergent, sugar, soft drink, etc., are banned.
Most of these materials severely reduce mortar strength and durability. Water thickener must be used only
according to the manufacturers directions because overuse severely reduces mortar strength.

Mortar Estimator
Table 12. Estimated Material Requirements to Lay 1,000 Standard Bricks
Mix

Composition
(C:L:S)

40 kg bags
of cement

25 kg bags
of lime

Cubic metres
of sand

Tonnes of
damp sand

M3

1:1:6

2.4

0.64

1.2

M3

1:0:5

0.64

1.2

M4

1:0:4

6.5

0.64

1.2

M4

1 : 12 : 412

5.3

1.6

0.64

1.2

This table assumes partial filling of cores and typical site wastage.
Only make sufficient mortar for immediate use. If mortar starts to set, it may be re-tempered once only.
Where bricklaying is interrupted, the mortar should be covered to prevent evaporation and mixed with the trowel
before continuing. t

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

Mortar (continued)
Mortar Colour
The mortar colour can dramatically affect the overall look. The colour of mortar is influenced by the colour of the
cement and the aggregates (sand). Many pigments are also available ranging in colour through red, yellow,
brown, green, blue and black (mainly oxides but carbon black can be used to give black mortar). The cheapest
way of colouring mortar is to use coloured sand. White and yellow sands are commonly available but red and
brown sands are also available. Sands are normally natural materials which vary considerably even in the one
deposit. To ensure colour consistency, sufficient sand from the one batch should be set aside for the whole job.
Where colour is crucial to the look of the masonry, before accepting the sand, a trial wall should be built (4 bricks
x 10 courses). After the mortar dries assess the colour. Where oxides or carbon black are used as colours never
use more than 10% by weight of the cement content.
Colours are additive in their effect and it is possible to get different shades and tones of mortar using different
combinations of cement, sands and oxides.
Table 13: Typical Coloured Mortar Components
Mortar Colour

Cement

Sand

Oxide

Red

Grey

White or Yellow or Red

Red

Yellow

Off-white or Grey

Yellow

Yellow & Brown

Cream

Off-white

Yellow

None

Tan

Grey

White or Yellow

Brown

Black

Grey

Yellow

Black

Note: The colour of mortar can be severely degraded by incorrect or poor brick cleaning.

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

Joint Types
The type of joint can dramatically affect the overall look of brick masonry. Joints can be used to create a casual,
rustic or formal look to brickwork. There are many different joints; the most common ones used in Australia are
shown below.
Flush Joint

Raked Joint

Ironed Joint

Struck Joint

Weathered Joint

Terminology and joint preference differs in different countries and within Australia. Where there is any
confusion, always use a drawing or physical sample to avoid misunderstandings.
Shallow ironed joints are recommended in areas requiring exposure grade bricks and mortar. Tooling the joint to
produce ironed and struck joints is equivalent to steel trowelling concrete and produces a dense smooth surface
which sheds water and dirt better than other types of joint. Ironed and struck joints should always be used for
bricks with straight sharp edges such as Smooth Face and Velour bricks.
Raked joints may be used with any type of brick but they tend to retain dirt and may lead to streaks down the
masonry in dirty environments. Raking must not come closer than 5 mm to any core. This usually limits raking to
less than 10 mm, however it is best to check the bricks that are being used before raking. AS3700 specifies that
joints in walls in marine, severe marine or aggressive environments or on aggressive soils must be tooled to a
dense smooth surface. This precludes raking and in practice ironed joints are the only ones that consistently
meet the requirement.
Flush joints may be used with any type of brick. However, flush joints are particularly effective with rumbled
bricks as flush joints make the joints look to be of variable thickness that gives a pleasing rustic look.

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1.305

Joint Sizes
Mortar bed joints are required to be less than 10 mm unless the design specifies another thickness. A different
thickness may only be specified after the designer considers the effect on compressive and flexural strength of
the masonry. During construction mortar bed joints are allowed to deviate by 3mm. Because of poor practice
or lack of proper direction some slabs and footings are finished at the wrong height. Mortar joints up to 50 mm
thick have been used to get the correct coursing, however, this is not allowed under AS3700.
Perpends are to have a minimum design thickness of 5 mm. In structural brickwork perpends may be up to 10 mm
thicker than the specified thickness but no thinner. In face brickwork perpends may deviate by 5 mm from the
average width but in any one wall the maximum difference allowable between any two perpends is 8 mm.
The preceding tolerances do not apply in the case of thin bed mortars and perpend tolerances do not apply where
perpends are not filled with mortar.

Weepholes
Weepholes are to allow moisture that collects in the cavity to escape. Weepholes should be spaced at less than
1200 mm centres wherever flashing is built into the masonry to shed water from the cavity. Weepholes are
usually empty perpends (10 mm wide) but proprietary products are available to prevent the entry of insects. In
high wind areas it has been known for water to be blown up the cavity onto the inner wall and as this is very
undesirable, more, narrower weepholes are usually built into the wall. It is essential that weepholes remain open
and render and other applied coatings, where used, must be raked out of the joint.

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

1.306

Brick Estimator
Brickwork is based on the 600 mm unit, (seven courses high and two and a half bricks long). This unit fits in with
doors, windows and other building materials. The number of bricks required for a wall can be determined from
the Brick Coursing Height and Brick Gauge tables on pages 1.310-1.312 of this manual. Select the height of the
wall and from the following page for the brick height chosen determine the number of courses. From the next
page for 230 mm long bricks or the one after for 290 mm bricks, determine the number of bricks for the length of
your wall. A half brick should be calculated as 1 whole brick, due to site wastage. Multiply the number of bricks
by the number of courses to give the number of bricks for the wall. Saw cutting bricks may mean getting two
halves from a brick but this is not usual practice because of the cost of cutting.

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

1.307

Brick bonds and other decorative effects

A bond is the pattern in which bricks are laid. The most common bond is Stretcher Bond which consists of courses
of full bricks where every course is offset half a brick from the course below. When following the mortar joint,
stretcher bond has the longest vertical pathway and therefore the best bend strength.
Stretcher bond is used in walls one brick wide. Where walls are two or more bricks wide then stretcher bond
needs ties to hold the leaves together to give it a monolithic action. To avoid the use of ties traditional practice
has been to lay some of the bricks sideways. This has usually been either full courses of headers with full
courses of stretcher (English) or courses of alternating header and stretcher (Flemish). A variation of Flemish
Bond is Garden Wall Bond where courses are made of a header and three stretchers alternating.
Corner treatment can be different in these bonds. English corners end in full stretchers or full headers, and any
part brick required to make up the course is set inside the corner. Dutch corners end in the part bricks.
Variations on these bonds are common in particular a header course every three or six courses with stretcher
courses between.
Although these bonds have traditionally been developed for thick walls, they can be used in single leaf walls as
a decorative effect using cut bricks for the headers. Such walls are usually non-load bearing. Cutting costs are
high but not excessive as the headers have the cut side turned in and the bricks can be bolstered.
Other decorative bonds may be used in non-load bearing applications, particularly in the form of panels. The
limitations are strengths lower than Stretcher Bond and the cost of cutting and slower brick laying. The
decorative effect of bonds is highlighted by using a mortar in a contrasting colour to the brick.
Other bonds include:

Stack Bond Bricks laid horizontally in vertical columns so all vertical joints align.

Soldier Stack Bond Bricks laid vertically in vertical columns so all vertical joints align.

1/3 Bond Every course is offset by 1/3 of a brick.

Zigzag Bond, Vertical Zigzag Bond, 45 Stretcher Bond, Chevron Bond, Basket Weave Bond, 45 Basket
Weave Bond and virtually any pattern that tessellates. t

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

1.308

Brick bonds and other decorative effects (continued)

Other decorative effects are available such as:

Laying bands of bricks of the same colour with different textures eg smooth faced and rock faced;

Laying bands of bricks with different (contrasting or complimentary) colours;

Corbelling (bricks set out from the wall);

Racking (bricks set back into the wall);

Quoining (corner bricks in different colours or set out from the wall);

Soldiers above openings or as a single course;

Copings on piers and parapet walls;

Sills in different colours or textures, using sill bricks, etc.; or,

In the late 1800s bricks of contrasting colours were laid in patterns such as diamonds or crosses. A more subtle
effect can be made by laying bricks with different textures or corbelling the bricks in these patterns.
Combinations of the above effects can be used. Eg. An American Architect specified a corbelled course with the
course below to be laid in the darkest bricks selected from the packs delivered. The darker band accentuated the
shadowing effect from the corbelled course. t

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

Brick bonds and other decorative effects (continued)

Stretcher Bond

Common Bond (Full Headers every 6th Course)

Flemish Bond

Common Bond (Flemish every 6th Course)

English Cross or Dutch Bond

Garden Wall Bond

Stack Bond

Soldier Course (With Stretcher Bond)

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

Brick Coursing Height

3000

36
24
18

35

49
34

23

2700

48
17

33

31

21

16

44
43

15

29

41

14

27
18

13

16

22

33
12

23

11

20

1500

28
13

10

24
23

1200

11

10

21
19

18
16

11
10

13
5
6

8
4
3

17
16

1500mm

15
14
13

1200mm

12
11

4
3

900mm

9
8
7

600mm

6
5
4

5
2

10

7
6

18

10
9

300

1800mm

12
11

8
7

19

15
14

600

20

17

12

900

21

20

14
13

2100mm

22
8

15

22

25

12

16

23

27
26

18
17

24

30
29

14

19

2400mm

32
31

15

21

25

35
34

24

1800

38
36

17

26

37

26
25

2700mm

27

40

19

39

2100

28

42

20

28

29

45

30

2400

30

47
46

22
32

3000mm

50

300mm

3
2

76mm

119mm

162mm

50mm

90mm

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

Brick Gauge
230 mm Long Bricks
No. of
Bricks

Length Opening
(mm)
(mm)

No. of
Bricks

Length Opening
(mm)
(mm)

No. of
Bricks

Length Opening
(mm)
(mm)

No. of
Bricks

Length
(mm)

230

250

1312

3230

3250

26

6230

6250

3812

9230

112

350

370

14

3350

3370

2612

6350

6370

39

9350

470

490

14 2

3470

3490

27

6470

6490

39 2

9470

2 2

590

610

15

3590

3610

27 2

6590

6610

40

9590

710

730

1512

3710

3730

28

6710

6730

4012

9710

312

830

850

16

3830

3850

2812

6830

6850

41

9830

950

970

16 2

3950

3970

29

6950

6970

41 2

9950

4 2

1070

1090

17

4070

4090

29 2

7070

7090

42

10070

1190

1210

1712

4190

4210

30

7190

7210

4212

10190

512

1310

1330

18

4310

4330

3012

7310

7330

43

10310

1430

1450

18 2

4430

4450

31

7430

7450

43 2

10430

6 2

1550

1570

19

4550

4570

31 2

7550

7570

44

10550

1670

1690

1912

4670

4690

32

7670

7690

4412

10670

712

1790

1810

20

4790

4810

3212

7790

7810

45

10790

1910

1930

20 2

4910

4930

33

7910

7930

45 2

10910

8 2

2030

2050

21

5030

5050

33 2

8030

8050

46

11030

2150

2170

2112

5150

5170

34

8150

8170

4612

11150

9 2

2270

2290

22

5270

5290

34 2

8270

8290

47

11270

10

2390

2410

22 2

5390

5410

35

8390

8410

47 2

11390

10 2

2510

2530

23

5510

5530

35 2

8510

8530

48

11510

11

2630

2650

2312

5630

5650

36

8630

8650

4812

11630

11 2

2750

2770

24

5750

5770

36 2

8750

8770

49

11750

12

2870

2890

24 2

5870

5890

37

8870

8890

49 2

11870

12 2

2990

3010

25

5990

6010

37 2

8990

9010

50

11990

13

3110

3130

2512

6110

6130

38

9110

9130

100

23990

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

Brick Gauge
290 mm Long Bricks
No. of
Bricks

Length Opening
(mm)
(mm)

No. of
Bricks

Length Opening
(mm)
(mm)

No. of
Bricks

Length
(mm)

No. of
Bricks

Length
(mm)

290

310

1323

4090

4110

2613

7890

39

11690

113

390

410

14

4190

4210

2623

7990

3913

11790

1 3

490

510

14 3

4290

4310

27

8090

39 3

11890

590

610

14 3

4390

4410

27 3

8190

40

11990

213

690

710

15

4490

4510

2723

8290

4013

12090

223

790

810

1513

4590

4610

28

8390

4023

12190

890

910

15 3

4690

4710

28 3

8490

41

12290

3 3

990

1010

16

4790

4810

28 3

8590

41 3

12390

323

1090

1110

1613

4890

4910

29

8690

4123

12490

1190

1210

1623

4990

5010

2913

8790

42

12590

4 3

1290

1310

17

5090

5110

29 3

8890

42 3

12690

4 3

1390

1410

17 3

5190

5210

30

8990

42 3

12790

1490

1510

1723

5290

5310

3013

9090

43

12890

513

1590

1610

18

5390

5410

3023

9190

4313

12990

5 3

1690

1710

18 3

5490

5510

31

9290

43 3

13090

1790

1810

18 3

5590

5610

31 3

9390

44

13190

613

1890

1910

19

5690

5710

3123

9490

4413

13290

623

1990

2010

1913

5790

5810

32

9590

4423

13390

2090

2110

19 3

5890

5910

32 3

9690

45

13490

7 3

2190

2210

20

5990

6010

32 3

9790

45 3

13590

723

2290

2310

2013

6090

6110

33

9890

4523

13690

2390

2410

2023

6190

6210

3313

9990

46

13790

8 3

2490

2510

21

6290

6310

33 3

10090

46 3

13890

8 3

2590

2610

21 3

6390

6410

34

10190

46 3

13990

2690

2710

2123

6490

6510

3413

10290

47

14090

913

2790

2810

22

6590

6610

3423

10390

4713

14190

9 3

2890

2910

22 3

6690

6710

35

10490

47 3

14290

10

2990

3010

22 3

6790

6810

35 3

10590

48

14390

1013

3090

3110

23

6890

6910

3523

10690

4813

14490

1023

3190

3210

2313

6990

7010

36

10790

4823

14590

11

3290

3310

23 3

7090

7110

36 3

10890

49

14690

11 3

3390

3410

24

7190

7210

36 3

10990

49 3

14790

1123

3490

3510

2413

7290

7310

37

11090

4923

14890

12

3590

3610

2423

7390

7410

3713

11190

50

14990

12 3

3690

3710

25

7490

7510

37 3

11290

100

29990

12 3

3790

3810

25 3

7590

7610

38

11390

13

3890

3910

2523

7690

7710

3813

11490

1313

3990

4010

26

7790

7810

3823

11590

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

1.313

Blending
Raw materials for brick making are from natural sources and these vary in colour within any one deposit. Brick
makers blend materials to moderate the colour variation but it still occurs. Colour variation may be caused by
different conditions across the kiln. No matter how well made, bricks delivered to site will have some degree of
colour variation.
Poorly blended bricks may show unwanted patches, streaks and bands of colour in the finished masonry.
To avoid this:

All bricks required for the project, or as many packs as will fit, should be delivered at one time and stored
on site; and,

Bricks should be drawn from at least four packs simultaneously, working down from the corners of each
pack.

Brick Storage
Bricks stored on site should be covered and kept off the ground. Bricks may absorb ground water containing salts
or coloured minerals creating subsequent problems with staining. Bricks when laid saturated usually produce
excessive efflorescence as the masonry dries. Saturated bricks may also adversely affect the mortar bond
strength.
Moving bricks around the site may cause chipping and excessive movement of packs should be avoided.

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

1.314

Laying Practices
The following practices are recommended:

Mortar, extruded from tapping the brick down to the string line, should be cut off with an upward stroke of
the trowel. In this manner, a clean cut is made, without smearing the face of the brick.

Joints should be tooled progressively as the bricks are laid, when the mortar is firm to thumb pressure. High
suction bricks require joints to be tooled more frequently than low suction bricks. Tooling too late produces
a burned joint, where the surface may not be smooth and dense.

After allowing the mortar to undergo initial set, within a day, dry brush mortar smears, to remove any dags,
and then wet brush any remaining mortar stains. Mortar that is allowed to set on the masonry face may
require high-pressure water jet cleaning or more costly, risky methods of cleaning.

Cavities should be kept as clear as possible from mortar droppings. Flushing out the cavity removes
inadvertently dropped mortar and ensures ties are clean and flashing and damp proof courses are not
bridged. It is poor practice and usually ineffective to flush large quantities of dropped mortar from cavities.
Usual practice is for the bricklayer to leave out one or more bricks at the base of the wall above a flashing
or the damp proof course for the washings to come out. Washings can cause serious staining where they
run down over lower brickwork and should be rinsed off thoroughly each day.

Scaffolding should be kept at least 150 mm from the face of the brickwork to prevent a build up of mortar
droppings against the masonry.

When bricklaying is interrupted by rain or rain is expected overnight, masonry should be protected by
covering it. Saturated masonry will produce excessive efflorescence and may lead to staining with some
bricks.

Face bricks are supplied with one face and one header suitable for exposing (i.e. to be seen after laying).
Face bricks with unwanted marks, chips or cracks on a header should be laid with that header inside a
mortared joint. Face bricks with unwanted marks, chips or cracks on the face should be set aside by the
bricklayer (or labourer) for use as commons. Boral will not be responsible for replacing bricks with unwanted
marks, chips or cracks that have been laid.

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Section 1.3. Brick Masonry Construction

1.315

Control Joints
Control joints must not be bridged by mortar or render. After laying the bricks or rendering, the joint must be
cleaned. Lumps of mortar or render can transfer forces across the closing joint and will cause the bricks to crack
(or spall). Control joints are usually constructed with a highly compressible material (in the form of a sheet or
rod) inserted to keep dirt and moisture from penetrating to the cavity. For aesthetic reasons a compressible
caulking material, matched to the mortar colour, is usually applied on the outside. As the joint closes,
compressible caulking compounds may be extruded from the joint but incompressible ones may damage the
bricks. If extruded caulking compound is considered unsightly, it can be cut out and replaced or the compound
can be recessed during construction. Care must be taken when choosing a caulking compound to ensure it is a
highly compressible type that will survive for the design life of the building and not discolour significantly. There
are numerous suitable materials available and manufacturers recommendations should be sought.
Where a control joint has flexible masonry ties built in, a piece of the compressible material must be removed to
accommodate the tie.

Damp Courses and Flashing

Membrane type damp proof courses (DPC) must be laid across the full width of the wall or leaf and must project
through the mortar on either side and be completely visible after laying and cleaning is complete. Recessing DPC
below the edge of the brickwork so that the mortar bridges the DPC invalidates its use and is therefore entirely
unacceptable. Bridged DPC may lead to rising damp, salt attack and or accelerated corrosion of the built-in
components that may lead to structural failure. Recessing flashing below the mortar although common is not
good practice as it allows the water that should be shed to soak into the wall below the flashing.
DPC and flashing at the base of a wall may be combined. Lengths should be as long as possible but where not
continuous, two adjacent pieces should overlap by at least 150 mm and if possible be sealed together. If a
termite shield is used in the same joint as the DPC, the DPC material must be compatible with the termite shield
or corrosion may destroy the DPC.
General practice has been to recommend that flashings and DPCs be sandwiched between the mortar. There is
some evidence that the common practice of laying flashings and DPC directly on the lower course of bricks and
placing the mortar on top may be superior in some instances.

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Cleaning of Clay Masonry

The Basics of Brick Cleaning
The cleaner the bricklayer leaves the wall, the easier will be the cleaning task. The majority of the mortar
residues and smears should be cleaned before they set hard. However, in most cases some additional cleaning
will be required to completely remove the mortar residue.
Cleaning techniques may involve high-pressure water jet equipment or hand methods. Whatever technique is
used, the following requirements must be observed to ensure additional staining problems are avoided.

Test Areas
Testing in one or more small areas is the safest way to determine the correct technique and chemical solution to
remove mortar residues. This must occur well before final cleaning, as it will usually not be possible to assess
the effectiveness of the test clean until the masonry dries.

Clean Soluble Salt Deposits First

Efflorescence, a white fluffy deposit, cannot be removed by water or acid. Dry brushing to remove the
efflorescence before washing is recommended. If efflorescence is wetted, the salts go into solution and are
drawn back into the brickwork and will reappear as the masonry dries. Efflorescence will eventually disappear
through natural weathering.
Vanadium salts produce a green or yellow efflorescence or stain (mainly seen on cream and light coloured clay
bricks). Hydrochloric acid will make these stains much worse and may make them impossible to clean. Mild
vanadium stains may be treated with sodium hypochlorite (household bleach). Spray or brush on dry brickwork
and leave until the stain disappears, then rinse off. Proprietary mould cleaners containing sodium hypochlorite
and sodium hydroxide can be used as above and have been found very effective. Proprietary brick cleaners may
also be effective and should be used only according to the manufacturers instructions. Proprietary cleaners
usually contain acids that must be neutralised after use with a solution of 15 grams of washing soda
per litre of water.
More than one chemical application may be required and the walls should be rinsed thoroughly after each
treatment. t

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Cleaning of Clay Masonry (continued)

High Pressure Cleaning
High-pressure water washing is now common for cleaning brickwork. If used the pressure must be kept below
1000 psi (7000 kPa), the nozzle must be kept 500 mm from the brick face and the nozzle must be a wide fan jet
type with an angle of 15 degrees.
The following practices must be observed:

Cleaning should not start until the mortar has hardened.

Hard lumps or persistent smears should be removed by hand.

Mask adjacent materials.

Do not apply the acid with the high-pressure sprayer. Use a low-pressure spray or broom it on.

Clean from top to bottom in small sections.

Work in the shade, ahead of the sun, if possible.

DO NOT USE EXCESSIVE PRESSURE OR GET TOO CLOSE, as this will damage the face of the brick and the
mortar joint. Mortar joints that are no longer smooth with sharp edges is a clear sign of excessive pressure.
Excessive pressure is used to make cleaning faster; it does not do a better job of cleaning. t

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Saturate the Wall Surface
Failure to completely saturate the surface of the wall is in itself a major cause of cleaning stains. Cleaning
solutions containing dissolved mortar particles and acids will be drawn into a dry masonry wall, causing staining.
Furthermore, saturating the surface of the wall keeps the acid solution on the face of the masonry where the
mortar smears are present. It is not true that face saturation weakens the acid and slows the cleaning.
Water should be trained on the wall until the brick suction is exhausted. The area to be cleaned must be
saturated as well as all brickwork areas below. If the wall appears to be drying on the surface, reapply water
until ready to apply the cleaning solution.
Recommended acid strengths are based on application to a surface saturated wall.
Note: This point must be strictly adhered to for bricks manufactured in Queensland. Their raw materials contain
large amounts of iron oxide and failure to saturate the surface of the wall allows acid solutions to react
with the iron oxide and create severe iron oxide staining. Failure to saturate the surface of the bricks
manufactured in other parts of Australia can also lead to the acid reacting with iron oxide but to a much
lesser degree. This form of staining is known as acid burn and is particularly visible on light coloured
bricks. Acid absorption into bricks can also lead to vanadium and manganese staining. t

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Cleaning of Clay Masonry (continued)

Acids The Basics
The traditional masonry-cleaning chemical is hydrochloric acid, (also known as muriatic acid or spirits of salts).
Its main function is to dissolve the cement in the mortar mix. It has few other uses and in many stain situations
should not be used.
Hydrochloric acid is a corrosive S6 poison and care must be taken when using it. If acid is splashed onto the skin
it should be immediately swabbed with clean water, or more effectively, with a solution of bicarbonate of soda
in water, which will neutralise the acid.
The recommended acid strength for light coloured clay bricks is 1 part acid to 20 parts water and for other bricks
is 1 part acid to 10 parts water. Acid takes time to dissolve the cement and should be left on for 4-6 minutes (or
longer if needed) before washing off. After washing a solution of 15 g per litre of washing soda or 24 g per litre
of sodium bicarbonate should be sprayed on to neutralise any remaining acid. Excess hydrochloric acid will
eventually evaporate from the brickwork, however, it is likely to cause staining of the bricks and damage to
built-in components. Other acids such as sulfuric acid or nitric acid will not evaporate and are not used in
brick cleaning.
Note: The recommended strength must be strictly adhered to. Bricks manufactured in Queensland may contain
large amounts of iron oxide and the use of acid solutions stronger than 1 part acid to 20 parts water can
dissolve these particles and create iron oxide staining. For light coloured bricks manufactured elsewhere
the use of solutions stronger than 1 part acid to 20 parts water can lead to acid burn.
Proprietary masonry cleaning solutions containing a mixture of acids are available. If used, the manufacturers
recommendations must be strictly adhered to. Excessive and incorrect use of some proprietary cleaning solutions
has in the past, produced very bad staining. t

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Cleaning of Clay Masonry (continued)

Safety Precautions
All masonry-cleaning acids are dangerous. Acids that do not dissolve cement as quickly as hydrochloric acid are
not necessarily safer and can be very much more dangerous to human health. To avoid personal injury:

Wear goggles, gloves and protective clothing.

Always pour acids into water this avoids splashes of highly concentrated acid onto the operator.

If splashed onto the body, wash with clean water and if possible, neutralise with a mixture of bicarbonate
of soda and water.

The manufacturers instructions and safety precautions must be strictly adhered to if proprietary cleaning
products are used.

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