My Bricks Will Not Bond
- Bricks that don't bond well present a number of problems. The walls that you build from bricks that aren't bonded properly will be much weaker than bricks that bond well. This means that your wall won't hold up to the same lateral pressure from perpendicular walls or wind. Poor bonds also allow moisture to penetrate the mortar, allowing water into your home and giving ice a chance to form, further damaging the brick wall.
- Bricks may have surface issues that prevent them from bonding. For example, using wet bricks will allow extra moisture into the mortar mix, preventing them from bonding in the expected time. Reclaimed bricks from an old building or wall may have mold or moss growing on them, which causes them to fail to bond even when the mortar mix is good.
- In many cases when a brick won't bond, it's because of a problem with the mortar. Mixing mortar is not the same as mixing cement. Mortar requires additional elements in the right proportions to keep the cement content from drying too soon. Working with mortar that is too wet or beginning to harden, applying too little mortar and using the wrong mix of materials can all prevent bricks from bonding.
- Before beginning a brick project, carefully inspect the bricks you plan to use. If they are wet, allow them to dry fully before you begin working. Clean off any mold, moss or other surface growth that may prevent bonding. Follow all instructions carefully for mixing mortar. If you don't lay enough brick before the mortar begins to harden, don't continue to use the drying mortar, which won't bond as well as it did when it was still wet.
