What's the best way to remove old plaster, mortar and cement render off old, fairly crumbly red bricks? I have recently taken down an old (non load bearing) wall as part of my basement refurb project. I now have a pile of nice old bricks which I plan to use in walls and paths in the garden - the next project! Trouble is I want to remove all the mess off them and not break them in the process.
Anyone any ideas?
Tricky, as you say, because any method you you use risks damaging the underlying bricks.
Possible ideas: Pressure washer? Pressure washer with sandblaster attachment? Wire brush on an electric drill? Air needle gun from, say,
David
In message , David writes
Soak them in a bin of water - the plaster comes off much easier.
If you use the bricks for garden paths they won't last the winter frost
- talking from experience!
Steve
Brick Acid and a stiff bristled brush - and of course gloves & eye protection.
Stuff I used was called Seloclean - made by Selocrete.
Andy
Soak them in brick/patio acid (sorit of salts etc) and pressure wash afterwards.
The acid turns the cement crumbly
Thanks for all the ideas fellas.
Steve, what exactly happened to the bricks over winter? Did they disintegrate completely or juct crack. I can cope with the latter - rustic charm and all that, but if they just crumble away that could be more of a problem
cheers
In theory, if you heat it, it will turn back into quicklime and probably fall off. Don't know if a blowlamp could do it. Bolster and hammer might be easier though...
In message , Flat Eric writes
The rain gets in the brick and freezes, cracks the surface layers and you end up with hollows all over the path (on those least resistant bricks). And the cycle continues. Does look rustic but does provide an uneven surface.
One thing I did not do was seal the bricks. Perhaps you could seal the bricks once a year with waterproofer?
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