Remove mortar
Top-quality masonry services to remove mortar in Chicago
Are you looking for help to remove mortar from your building? Check out this useful guide by the specialists at Masonry Chicago.
Remove mortar with top-quality Chicago-based masonry services
Sometimes it is necessary to remove mortar from brick, either because the mortar was applied incorrectly or messily, or because the mortar has deteriorated and needs to be replaced. That’s why search queries such as “how to remove brick mortar” or “how to remove excess mortar from brick’ are perennial favorites. In this article, the specialists at Masonry Chicago outline the basics of what you need to know about how to remove mortar from bricks. Home builders in Chicago are the companies with the experience in residential construction.
Why do I need to remove mortar?
Out of all the various components of masonry work on a building, mortar joints (sometimes just referred to as “cement”) are among the most susceptible to damage over time from excess moisture and temperature variation, which in places with cold winters like Chicago can impact mortar through free-thaw cycles.
If the masonry work on your building is showing signs of mortar damage, it might be time to explore how to remove mortar between bricks to repair the damage.
Family-Owned Company. 20 Years of Masonry Expertise
Chicago's Tuckpointing and Masonry Specialists
Cleaning up brickwork
Sometimes the problem might be more superficial than decayed mortar, such as if excess unsightly mortar or mortar residue has been left from a previous job and you simply want to remove mortar from brick face.
Such exterior clean-up jobs that simply call to remove excess mortar from brick are generally more simple than proper tuckpointing work that requires removing and replacing mortar deeper into the brickwork. While cleaning up your masonry, you might want to deal with other unsightly issues with the brickwork, such as how to remove hard water stains from brick and how to remove concrete stain from brick, if your masonry is afflicted by these problems.
- 20years of Masonry Expertise
- 50+professional bricklayers
- 300+masonry and tuckpointing projects
Ready to start your masonry project?
Tuckpointing Pros - Don't Overpay, Compare Pros
How to remove cement from brick
The process used to remove brick mortar depends on various factors:
Are we are considering how to remove old mortar that then needs to be replaced? Or how to remove excess mortar from bricks that is on the brick surface and does not need any additional repairing?
What materials are involved? For example, if you want to remove thinset mortar or another type of adhesive mortar, then you’ll need to follow the appropriate method for removing thinset mortar pieces. Likewise, there are specialist techniques used when removing all the mortar from a concrete floor or tile flooring.
On assessing your masonry, our qualified masons can advise on the best way to remove brick mortar.
The right tools and materials for the job
Removing mortar is not a job that can be done with only one tool. To carry out the job properly, you will need the right materials and tool to remove mortar between bricks.
Depending on the particular job at hand and what kind of mortar needs to be removed, these may include:
- Hand and power tools such as an angle grinder, hammer drill, flat chisel or other types of chisel and chisel bit, brush with soft bristles, and chipping hammer,
- Protective gear such as a dust mask, rubber gloves, safety glasses or another type of protective eyewear, and any other protective equipment necessary.
- Mortar cleaning and removal solutions such as muriatic acid.
- New mortar (if needed), carefully chosen to match the old mortar in surrounding areas of the masonry.
Can I remove mortar myself?
If you want to learn how to remove mortar from brick, you can find plenty of videos out there with titles like “How to remove old mortar from brick,” “How to remove mortar residue from brick,” or “Easy guide on how to remove concrete from brick.”
These guides might make it seem like a job to remove old mortar from bricks is simple and easy. But there is more than meets the eye when it comes to knowing how to remove mortar from brick face without damaging the existing masonry, especially if the job also requires brick mortar repair to replace damaged mortar joints – which is a time consuming process referred to as masonry tuckpointing.
So, unless you are experienced in masonry work or if the job is anything more than removing excess mortar from a couple of brick faces, the best way to remove brick mortar (and often the most cost effective in the long term) is really to call in professionals to carry out the job properly.
Over 300 Projects in Chicago and Suburbs
Quality assured with Masonry Chicago
After arranging an appointment, our masons will come out for an onsite inspection to assess the mortar to be removed and the best approach for the job.
In addition to being experts when it comes to knowing how to remove cement from brick or how to remove concrete stain from brick, we also provide a full range of masonry services.
Over the last two decades, our commitment to craftsmanship and customer service has made us one of the most trusted masonry outfits in Chicago. That’s why we have become a favored service provider for those searching for “chimney tuckpointing near me,” “Chicago masonry restoration,” or other brick masonry repair services in the local area.
Look at
The Results of Our Masonry Works:
Building with a difference. Before and After:
