Why Mortar Joints Fail

Mortar joints do not last forever. Some wear is completely normal, but a few things make joints fail faster than they should.

Normal weathering

Mortar is designed to take the weather so the bricks do not have to. Wind, rain and time gradually wear the joints back. On exposed elevations this happens sooner.

Frost

Once joints open up, water sits in them. In winter that water freezes and expands, breaking the mortar down further and sometimes damaging the brick faces too.

The wrong mortar

A mortar that is too hard for the wall, or the wrong mix for the exposure, will not perform as it should. Hard cement on soft old brick is a common cause of trouble.

Poor previous work

Shallow filling, poor preparation or mortar applied in bad conditions all shorten the life of the joints. Good preparation is as important as the mortar itself.