I have about 6 rows of steps leading up to my porch, they're made out of bricks and mortar. The problem is small chips break off from the bricks occasionally and the problem seems to get worse in the winter for obvious reasons.
I'm wondering if there's anything one could apply to the bricks to inhibit this chipping problem or is this just something one has to live with as bricks age? (they're 33 years old)
Yes, as bricks get older they will deteriorate, but one way to slow the process is to coat the bricks with Thompson's Water Sealer. My father in law has been doing this to his brick stoop annually to prevent ice and water from eroding the brick work. Now this only slows the process down, it will not stop it or prevent it completely. That being said, the stoop is original to the house which was built in 1944 and shows no sign of cracking, eroding or flaking. No it does not have a roof over it and other then the sealer, not other special maintenance is done to it. Luck? maybe, but the chimney, also original to the house, needs to be re-capped. Hope this helps!
Hey thanks a lot, I'll coat the steps with that when it warms up. I had put clear silicon on the problem spots but complete coverage with Thompson's sounds like a better idea.
Before considering Thompson's check Consumer Reports and also many of the posts about it in this NG. There may be far better products on the market. IMO, silicones are a better choice as true water repellants.
Joe
Wrong brick for the job, in most of the failed steps I have seen. Hollow wall brick makes lousy steps, because you can't really keep water out of the non-fired (or whatever they call it) surfaces. Water sits in the upward-facing mortar cracks, gets inside the brick, freezes, and flakes start spalling off. Need proper paver brick, or just use brick for the vertical faces, with stone or concrete caps to take the weather. There is a reason brick windowsills always have a slope to them, and even they fail before the wall around them does.
-- aem sends...
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