How to patch hole in external brick from removed split system?

JakeT

Hi, 

I've just had a split system removed from my house. A hole now remains from where the refrigerant pipes were removed. 

What is the best way to patch it up?

From research on this site it looks like (in ascending level of effort):

- Expanding foam

- Mortar colour matched to current brick and mortar

- Remove two bricks and replace. 

Keen for any advice, I'm new to DIY-ing and really have no idea. 

Cheers,
Jake

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @JakeT. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about repairing brickwork.

You’ve nailed it with your list of repair options. It really just depends on how neat and unnoticeable you’d like the final result to be. If the hole is in a spot that’s not often seen, expanding foam could do the job, though from the photo it looks like part of the brick face has been chipped away. That would make it a bit tricky to fill neatly with foam alone. You could certainly seal the opening with it, but since expanding foam is usually yellow-orange, you’d need to trim it flush and paint over it to conceal the patch.

For a more durable and visually tidy fix, I think a mortar repair would be your best bet. It’ll let you fill the cavity solidly and rebuild the surface of the brick where the face has been damaged. Before applying the mortar, give the area a light mist with water so the brick doesn’t draw out moisture too quickly from the mix. Once it’s set, you can use a cream-coloured exterior paint or add a touch of yellow oxide to the mortar mix to help it blend better with your existing brickwork.

Replacing the bricks entirely would only really be worth the effort if this area is very visible. It’s quite a labour-intensive job and matching the exact brick type can be tricky unless you already have spares. Otherwise, a careful mortar repair should give you a solid, tidy result without too much fuss.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell