How do I repair gap in brickwork?

JoeG

Ive had a gap in my brickwork at the front door for 25 years - so it hasnt got worse. Im keen to improve the visual of it.

Unfortunately the bricks were laid in parallel format not alternate (see picture 3 front view).

Looking sideon, one can see the daylight on the other side (pictures 1 and 2). This is the gap Im keen to repair, hopefully without having to totally rebuild it.

MitchellMc

Hi @JoeG,

You can certainly fill that gap to improve the look without having to rebuild the whole section. A traditional approach would be to mix up some standard mortar and use oxides to tint it so the colour matches the existing joints. If you’d prefer something simpler, there are ready-to-use caulking products such as Mortafil, which come in a range of colours and are much easier to apply in small gaps. Just keep in mind that while they blend in fairly well, the finish won’t be quite the same as true mortar.

 

The only point of caution is that you’ve mentioned being able to see daylight through the single brick façade. That suggests there isn’t much depth behind the brickwork, so it’s important to be confident the wall is properly tied back to the frame and not at risk of leaning or falling forward. Before filling the gap, it would be a good idea to have a builder or bricklayer take a quick look to confirm the structure is sound. Once you know it’s stable, you can go ahead and patch the gap with whichever method you prefer.

 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

Mitchell