Pro Handyman Blog

If you have brick on the exterior of your house, the chances are good that you will need a handyman to replace one that will break or crack. In many cases, the bricks are not full bricks…rather they are veneer make to look like regular bricks, although they are only about ½ inch thick and mortar onto the surface.

These look great as accent features on a house, pillar, column, or even outlining steps. Since they are thinner, they are more susceptible to an impact. Take my word for it, they just don’t stand up to a golf club.

When an object strikes them, they will crack and sometimes fall out. You won’t be able to just place another one in its place because of the dried mortar underneath it. Use a small grinder with a masonry wheel and grind out enough of the old mortar so that the replacement piece will have enough room to be mortared in and still be flush with the surrounding surface. Its better to grind out a little too much mortar than not enough. The last thing you want is for the replacement to stick out from the surrounding surface. Get the grout lines level with the existing ones and either use a striking tool to smooth them out, or let it dry a little and broom it, depending on the finish.