On 18/08/2010 13:57, PeterC wrote:
On Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:27:35 +0100, Pete Zahut wrote:

PeterC wrote:
Last Autumn there was a mention in a thread about 1950's brickwork
being porous.
About that time I had to drill a couple of holes in the gable wall -
it faces SW - and the debris was like a crumbly paste rather than
dust for about 15 - 20mm in.
The bricks are heavily patterned - a vertical herringbone groove -
which I think are Rustic(?) from c. 1950.

Is it worth treating the wall and, if so, what sort of gunk to put on
it?

There are 2 possibilities on this page

http://www.everbuild.co.uk/products/...e-Treatments/1

although the solvent-based one looks a bit nasty!

Any suggestions please?

Liquid Plastics K501 is the dogs danglies

I'd rather avoid coating the wall. I prefer something that soaks in and
that can easily be renewed by simply spraying on another dollop (I've never
like paint on exterior wood and use other treatments where possible).

But isn't the K501 a silane/siloxane product? AIUI this is not a
coating, but a series of silicone-like particles that can move about
within the brickwork. They simply occupy space that would otherwise
contain water.