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How to fix a hole in brick wall?

Hi Team,

I would like to tackle fixing this ugly hole in the brick wall on the side of my house. Not sure why did the previous owner make it but it is quite convenient entrance for possums and other rodents so it has to be sealed.

The bricks are (roughly) 23x11x8cm, which seems to be a standard size.

I am guessing I will need to cut the existing broken bricks first and replace? I have an angle grinder, would that be a good tool for that?

What goes on the bottom? Can I just put a layer of mortar on the bottom? What mortar would be suitable for a job like this? What size bag?

The other thing I am unsure about is the barrier that is supposed to stop rising damp. There are a bits of it left but it has deteriorated. How do I replace that? Thanks for your help!

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Repairing

Comments

Dave-1

Good afternoon @tom138

Id like to say welcome to the Bunnings commuinity page 🙂 Definently search through a bunch of subjects as there are so many ideas!

First question, as the hole seems to be made for a reason. How far can you see under the house? If you remove the dirt and debrie can you see a foundation or other bricks?

Id be tempted to find a similar brick colour and replace the missing brick using something along the lines of using a mortar tube

The moisture barrier I would leave as is. You could use a cold chisel and hammer to chip a brick down also. I dont think id remove that broken brick if thats what you are asking? I would use the mortar of your choice and then smooth the surface (if you were good at cutting a brick lengthways you could make a cover plate for the broken brick? 🙂 ) I know I wouldnt be too succesful tho lol

Dave

EricL

Hello @tom138

Allow me to welcome you as well to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's splendid to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about how to repair a hole in your brick wall.

It's great that you've received excellent advice from @Dave-1. His recommendation is spot on. By removing the soil at the bottom, you should be able to see the original brick base. In this situation, I would recommend just patching the hole with a similar type of brick. I would leave the existing moisture barrier attached and I propose filling the broken top piece with mortar, so you won't have to further disturb the broken section.

I recommend using 10kg Dingo Mortar mix in conjunction with Craftright 150mm pointing trowel. My best tip is to paint the repairs in the same wall colour and it will give your wall a nice uniform look.

Here is handy step-by-step guide:

Please remember to wear personal protection such as gloves, goggles and a mask when working on your brick repair.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

tom138

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/29821#Comment_29821

Hi there,

Thanks for the advise! Just wanted to report back that the hole is fixed now! It’s certainly not perfect but I’m quite happy with the result 😉

I started with exposing the original brick base as suggested, then I got rid of the remains of the broken bricks with a chisel and put few new bricks. I had to break one to make it fit into the existing space. I also put a layer of new moisture barrier as the existing one was torn.

Biggest challenges - right consistency of mortar (put too much water into the last batch), breaking one brick evenly to right size and fitting mortar into tight spaces.

The only issue I only noticed this morning was that I put two bricks wrong way around so the little notches on one side are visible. I think they are meant to be hidden. Oh well I’ll blame it on working in the dark 😉

Cheers,

Tom

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/77448#Comment_77448

Looks perfect to me @tom138! You've done a wonderful job and I wouldn't expect better from a professional. Ace work!

I'm sure @Dave-1 and @EricL will be impressed too.

Mitchell

tom138

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/102724#Comment_102724

Thanks @MitchellMc!

Dave-1

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/77448#Comment_77448

Evening @tom138

🙂 Stoked! Really nice work and love your approach. I know what its like working at dusk or into the night, sometimes it just ends up that way.

I think it looks preety professional and Id be happy with it. No more hole and its tidy! 🙂

Well done!

Dave

tom138

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/102732#Comment_102732

Thanks @Dave-1. Appreciate the advice and encouragement! There is definitely room for improvement but feels much better when you do it yourself. Onto the next project!

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