How to replace damaged bricks

 TO REMOVE A BRICK wear gloves and safety glasses to drill holes using a 10mm masonry bit into the mortar at the corners then chip away the old mortar from around the brick using a bolster with a hammer.

 

New bricks never exactly match the old ones. Remove them with care so they can be reused, turning them around so the chipped corners are hidden in the wall.

 

For small jobs, use bagged mortar mix, piling it on a mortar board, adding water and a few drops of mortar plasticiser such as Bycol to mix it into a creamy consistency.

 

If the mortar is to be coloured with an oxide, mix up test samples, leave them to dry in the sun then do a colour match.