Repairing a brick wall

Hi all

The brick wall in question is a free standing garden boundary wall. The top few courses need repairing, as water/frost damages has caused bricks to come loose, and in some cases bricks from the top course are missing completely. Currently the wall consists entirely of what I would call normal brick, but I am considering better options. The wall is around

6' high, and a single brick thick with supporting pillars, if that makes any difference.

It seems clear to me that concrete coping would be the best solution for preventing future water damage, but for various reasons I am considering other options.

Would a top layer of solid engineering brick offer protection against water damage that is better than normal bicks? I understand engineering bricks are less porous, but isn't the damage mainly done by weakening the mortar in the top layers? In which case the type of brick might be of little significance.

A neighbour has suggested a cap of mortar on top on the wall. Would that help at all? I have my doubts!

Are there good alternatives to mortar that will give better water resistance for use in the tops layers.

Many thanks

Steve

Reply to
Steve Slatcher
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Garden walls are very prone to frost damage, you should use frost resistant bricks, sounds like this has not been done in the past. Bricks with holes rather than just frogs are more resistant to lifting/splitting off the cement. (More cement is needed of course) Check with you builders merchant &look at the manufacturers details.

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There are various options for topping the wall off, a common one is engineering bricks on edge. Or you can bury brick or concrete copings.

Often too immediately below the coping, a double layer of clay tiles are inserted, (full width of wall) this stops water penetrating the brickwork from above.

Reply to
harryagain

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