Repairing a missing brick doesn’t just up your home’s curb appeal — it also eliminates a safety issue.
If a brick is missing on a step, it could be a tripping hazard. Luckily, It’s easy to repair a missing brick if you use the right material.
Steps to Repair a Missing Brick
- Chip away old mortar. The first step to repairing a missing brick is chipping away whatever remains of the old mortar to make way for the new mortar.
- Clean surface. After you’ve gotten rid of the old mortar, clear the area of any dust and dirt before you mix up the mortar.
- Mix mortar. A 10-pound back of Quikrete Mortar Mix is perfect for a small repair. Simply add water and stir until the mortar is the consistency of thick cake batter. Be sure to wear impervious nitrile gloves when you’re mixing the mortar mix.
- Apply mortar. With a trowel, apply a mortar base that’s about a half-inch to three-quarter-inch thick. Make sure the thickness matches the surrounding bricks.
- Press brick into position. Push the brick down into the mortar bed and sideways against the adjacent brick with a slight twisting motion. It may take some tapping and pressure to get the brick aligned with the ones around it.
- Clean mortar joints. Finally, clean off the excess mortar to match the old mortar joints around the new ones.
Today’s Homeowner Tips
Mortar typically will dry in 24 hours and reach its full strength in 28 days. However, environmental factors like temperature and humidity will affect drying time.
Watch the video above to find out more.
