How to fix mortar crumbling?

[diana139]

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @diana139. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about fixing mortar.

Since the mortar in the brick wall is crumbling like powder and falling out of the joints, it’s likely a sign of a serious issue that requires more than just a DIY fix. Is the issue just localised to this area or are other areas suffering the same problem? If you take a screwdriver and scrape it along other joints, do they also disintegrate like this? 

The best course of action would be to consult with a structural specialist to assess the wall’s stability and determine if it can be properly stabilised. Since the bricks look quite new, could this be a newish build? If so, it might be best to reach out to the builder who constructed the property to discuss the issue, as they may be able to address it under warranty or provide guidance on the next steps.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[diana139]

Hi MichellMc, thanks for your reply, this is a mid-70s home and this is only occurring in about a metre wide section near our front door under our south facing verandah.  It is only impacting one or two bricks high.  It is very strange since the mortar is light grey in colour but the sand that is dropping is black as you can see in the photo.

[EricL]

Hello @diana139 

I'm wondering if at some point in the past if the brick wall was repointed. Perhaps this might not be the first time that this phenomenon has happened. Either way, I agree with Mitchell in engaging the services of a structural specialist as this might not be a localized event and could be happening elsewhere under your wall.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric