Masonry Magazine February 1997 Page. 17
Cleaning
New Masonry
By: Edgar F. Glock, jr.
AIA/CSI
Let's face it: Masons don't work in antiseptic operating rooms. Out on the construction site, dirt and dust swirl, mortar splashes. With modern construction's emphasis on speed, a wall will get dirty despite the mason's best efforts. That's why the final step in building a brick wall is cleaning it.
The majority of stains that need cleaning are mortar smears. These result from the tooling of joints, laying up of the mortar, etc., or they can even be caused by foul weather: the rain can splash mortar up from the scaffold, for example. Although staining is almost inevitable, there are preventative steps the mason can take to reduce the problem.
Avoid excessive mortar droppings. Excess mortar should be cut off with the trowel as the brick are laid. Joints should be tooled when "thumbprint" hard. After tooling, excess mortar and dust should be brushed from the surface. Avoid rubbing or pressing mortar particles into brick faces.
To protect the base of the wall from rain-driven mud and mortar splattering, spread straw, sand, sawdust or plastic sheeting on the ground, extending three to four feet from the wall surface and two to three feet up the wall. Also, the scaffold boards near the wall should be turned on edge at the end of the day to help protect against rain-splashed materials.
To prevent mortar joint wash out and entry of water into the completed masonry, at the end of the day drape the walls with a waterproof material that extends down at least two feet on each side.
To keep masonry stored on-site as clean and dry as possible, store under cover and off the ground.
An Ounce of Prevention... is Cheaper than a Pound of Cure
MASONRY- JANUARY/FEBRUARY, 1997 15