Hi, another problem for you guys to advise on if you would be so kind!

Last year whilst building the extension, my beautiful old outhouse,
constructed of 1860's kent red bricks, was splattered by the morons
who pumped cement into the foundations. Their pipe blocked and
apparently it went everywhere. They managed to clean most of it up
before I returned, but there was a significant amount stuck to the
outside of the bricks that was rock hard before I had a chance to do
anything. I dont suppose anyone knows of an effective method to remove
this foundation mix without totally destroying the bricks. The stuff
on the lime mortar can be removed as it crumbles easily, but I'm stuck
for the bricks themselves. Any help gratefully received.

Thanks.

Richard wrote:

Last year whilst building the extension, my beautiful old outhouse,
constructed of 1860's kent red bricks, was splattered by the morons
who pumped cement into the foundations. Their pipe blocked and
apparently it went everywhere. They managed to clean most of it up
before I returned, but there was a significant amount stuck to the
outside of the bricks that was rock hard before I had a chance to do
anything. I dont suppose anyone knows of an effective method to remove
this foundation mix without totally destroying the bricks. The stuff
on the lime mortar can be removed as it crumbles easily, but I'm stuck
for the bricks themselves. Any help gratefully received.

Brick acid (obtainable from any builder's merchant or B&Q) would almost
certainly do it, but the problem will be that it will also make short
work of the mortar between the bricks, so would need applying v-e-r-y
carefully to avoid having to repoint the outhouse...

David

Lobster wrote:
Richard wrote:

Last year whilst building the extension, my beautiful old outhouse,
constructed of 1860's kent red bricks, was splattered by the morons
who pumped cement into the foundations. Their pipe blocked and
apparently it went everywhere. They managed to clean most of it up
before I returned, but there was a significant amount stuck to the
outside of the bricks that was rock hard before I had a chance to do
anything. I dont suppose anyone knows of an effective method to
remove this foundation mix without totally destroying the bricks.
The stuff on the lime mortar can be removed as it crumbles easily,
but I'm stuck for the bricks themselves. Any help gratefully
received.

Brick acid (obtainable from any builder's merchant or B&Q) would
almost certainly do it, but the problem will be that it will also
make short work of the mortar between the bricks, so would need
applying v-e-r-y carefully to avoid having to repoint the outhouse...

David

brick acid will remove cement *stains*, it won't remove dried concrete.

The ony thing you can do in these cases is remove each splatter manually, IE
with a scraper, or if needs be, a small hammer, such as a pin hammer,
laborious but sadly, the only real alternative to what you have now.

Richard wrote:
Hi, another problem for you guys to advise on if you would be so kind!

Last year whilst building the extension, my beautiful old outhouse,
constructed of 1860's kent red bricks, was splattered by the morons
who pumped cement into the foundations. Their pipe blocked and
apparently it went everywhere. They managed to clean most of it up
before I returned, but there was a significant amount stuck to the
outside of the bricks that was rock hard before I had a chance to do
anything. I dont suppose anyone knows of an effective method to remove
this foundation mix without totally destroying the bricks. The stuff
on the lime mortar can be removed as it crumbles easily, but I'm stuck
for the bricks themselves. Any help gratefully received.

Thanks.
Brick acid.

Lobster wrote:
Richard wrote:

Last year whilst building the extension, my beautiful old outhouse,
constructed of 1860's kent red bricks, was splattered by the morons
who pumped cement into the foundations. Their pipe blocked and
apparently it went everywhere. They managed to clean most of it up
before I returned, but there was a significant amount stuck to the
outside of the bricks that was rock hard before I had a chance to do
anything. I dont suppose anyone knows of an effective method to remove
this foundation mix without totally destroying the bricks. The stuff
on the lime mortar can be removed as it crumbles easily, but I'm stuck
for the bricks themselves. Any help gratefully received.

Brick acid (obtainable from any builder's merchant or B&Q) would almost
certainly do it, but the problem will be that it will also make short
work of the mortar between the bricks, so would need applying v-e-r-y
carefully to avoid having to repoint the outhouse...

David

Nope, it works very well, there being usually only a few mm on the
surface, and a few inches in the gaps..being eaten at similar rtes..it
takes a LOT to completely screw a mortar joint.



paint on, and wire brush.

Then pressure wash or hose the whole thing down.

Phil L wrote:
Lobster wrote:
Richard wrote:

Last year whilst building the extension, my beautiful old outhouse,
constructed of 1860's kent red bricks, was splattered by the morons
who pumped cement into the foundations. Their pipe blocked and
apparently it went everywhere. They managed to clean most of it up
before I returned, but there was a significant amount stuck to the
outside of the bricks that was rock hard before I had a chance to do
anything. I dont suppose anyone knows of an effective method to
remove this foundation mix without totally destroying the bricks.
The stuff on the lime mortar can be removed as it crumbles easily,
but I'm stuck for the bricks themselves. Any help gratefully
received.
Brick acid (obtainable from any builder's merchant or B&Q) would
almost certainly do it, but the problem will be that it will also
make short work of the mortar between the bricks, so would need
applying v-e-r-y carefully to avoid having to repoint the outhouse...

David

brick acid will remove cement *stains*, it won't remove dried concrete.

It will. In time.
I have 'concrete proof' harhar.

It turns just about any portland or lime based cement into a soluble
chloride salt. The rest - the ballast and the sand - washes away.

Obviously chip of big bits, but for a bit of fun, make a bowl shaped bit
of mortar, and put in brick acid..it may take several goes and esevarl
liters, but it will all dissolve in time.

In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:
Nope, it works very well, there being usually only a few mm on the
surface, and a few inches in the gaps..being eaten at similar rtes..it
takes a LOT to completely screw a mortar joint.

paint on, and wire brush.

Never use a wire brush on facing brickwork.
Depending on the relative hardness, it either wrecks the
faces, or they are stained with the metal from the wire.

Then pressure wash or hose the whole thing down.

Don't pressure wash a lime mortar wall.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
The Natural Philosopher writes:
Nope, it works very well, there being usually only a few mm on the
surface, and a few inches in the gaps..being eaten at similar rtes..it
takes a LOT to completely screw a mortar joint.

paint on, and wire brush.

Never use a wire brush on facing brickwork.
Depending on the relative hardness, it either wrecks the
faces, or they are stained with the metal from the wire.

Oh dear. I must have been exrtremely lucky then.


Then pressure wash or hose the whole thing down.

Don't pressure wash a lime mortar wall.


Oh. I forgot. One decent thunderstorm and a lime mortar wall comes
crashing down.

I think that's probably what happened to Rome.

On 31 Dec 2007, 17:39, (Andrew Gabriel)
wrote:
In article ,
* * * * The Natural Philosopher writes:

Nope, it works very well, there being usually only a few mm on the
surface, and a few inches in the gaps..being eaten at similar rtes..it
takes a LOT to completely screw a mortar joint.

paint on, and wire brush.

Never use a wire brush on facing brickwork.
Depending on the relative hardness, it either wrecks the
faces, or they are stained with the metal from the wire.

Then pressure wash or hose the whole thing down.

Don't pressure wash a lime mortar wall.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Thats what i was concerned about - the bricks are very soft! Thanks
for al the useful replies btw

Richard wrote:
On 31 Dec 2007, 17:39, (Andrew Gabriel)
wrote:
In article ,
� � � � The Natural Philosopher writes:

Nope, it works very well, there being usually only a few mm on the
surface, and a few inches in the gaps..being eaten at similar rtes..it
takes a LOT to completely screw a mortar joint.
paint on, and wire brush.
Never use a wire brush on facing brickwork.
Depending on the relative hardness, it either wrecks the
faces, or they are stained with the metal from the wire.

Then pressure wash or hose the whole thing down.
Don't pressure wash a lime mortar wall.

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

Thats what i was concerned about - the bricks are very soft! Thanks
for al the useful replies btw

In that case te acid will penetrate a little and get behind the concrete
spalatters, which can just be hosed off.

I've got a chimney breast made of very soft reclaimed tudor bricks and
50:50 lime cement mortar.All cleaned with brick acid.

That reminds me that I've also got some bricks to clean which have
been marked by lime mortar dust when the builders cut the joint for
the new lead flashing on my extension to be slotted in. Is there
anything I should know about brick acid and lead or slates, both being
in danger of getting splashed. Will they get marked?? Thanks for the
help.

Richard wrote:
That reminds me that I've also got some bricks to clean which have
been marked by lime mortar dust when the builders cut the joint for
the new lead flashing on my extension to be slotted in. Is there
anything I should know about brick acid and lead or slates, both being
in danger of getting splashed. Will they get marked?? Thanks for the
help.

Lead will suffer BADLY from acid, but bricks and slates can be soaked
too your hearts content.

In practice if you can keep your acid confined to the cement, it gets
neutralised by that. So you can use it oversensitive surfaces, as long
as it hits the cement faster than the substrate. As soon as possible
wash it off with water - lots of it.

On 2 Jan, 01:59, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Richard wrote:
That reminds me that I've also got some bricks to clean which have
been marked by lime mortar dust when the builders cut the joint for
the new lead flashing on my extension to be slotted in. Is there
anything I should know about brick acid and lead or slates, both being
in danger of getting splashed. Will they get marked?? Thanks for the
help.

Lead will suffer BADLY from acid, but bricks and slates can be soaked
too your hearts content.

In practice if you can keep your acid confined to the cement, it gets
neutralised by that. So you can use it oversensitive surfaces, as long
as it hits the cement faster than the substrate. As soon as possible
wash it off with water - lots of it.

Many thanks for the help! I'll be careful..