DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

A DIY man told me today that best way to protect the outside bricks is to paint some sort of water solution which will stop the rain from penetrating through the bricks and masonary rather than pointing. Can you please advise whether this is a sensible approach in protecting the bricks on an old house. I would have preferred pointing but he said it would cost too much and I would need scaffolding. Thank you.

A building/brickwork needs to 'breath' by via a freeflow of air (one of the reasons for cavities); sealants stop this. Brick will outlast all on this forum, including yourself; they don't need protecting.

If you have problems caused by water, it needs to fixed, but not with sealants.

Grant.

Painting brickwork on older houses can be fatal.

If you have no cavity and the plaster inside is made of lime you are trapping the moisture inside the bricks and therefore it cannot breath.

However if it has a cavity (and is dry on the inside) you can safely paint the outside, though you will need to fill any mortar joints or brick holes first.