Brick

Any ideas on what caused this and is there any repair. I have my own thoughts of what caused this but was more interested in there a way to stop or repair the brick.
Thanks again
Ed Chatterton

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Any signs that something was attached? A drilled hole or signs of a nail?

The brick didn’t release properly from the form when made.

Agree, defective, doesn’t appear to be a spalling issue.

I would have culled that one .

No nails or penatrations. The house was built in 1950. I believe it was because of pressure washing in order to do re-pointing of the brick a few years ago. The? Is can the brick be saved or does it need a sealer and or a parge coat.
Thanks again
Ed

Would not dismiss spalling after seeing the water issues at the basement concrete near the window opening.
Is that fresh tuckpointing ?

Good catch Bob, that was tough to see on my phone.

Sure looks like a newer batch of brick to me. Bob, as you are also in the land of brick… how often do you see old brick with the form/mold seems showing? Virtually never, and I can see many just in that one small area. I would guess that section of brick has been replaced thus the new mortar joints. (compare to the two rows below, and the one row above).

Jeff something about that brick and tuckpointing seems odd as if it might be half brick or something else.
I would need to be on site looking up and behind it as well.(half brick panel) ?

Yes it is a odd spall pattern but it could be cheap brick in combination with water -ice pop as well.
[Look at the picture on a big screen and it seems as if the tuckpointing has unusual shading in it .]
Plus looks extra wide as if it is fake.

Oh heck I need to be there.

Exactly my point, and when was the last time you saw '50s brick with that issue in Chicago? Rarely, as it has progressed to spalling and broken off years ago!

(OP in NY… similar weather conditions).

There lower half stucco had separated and was broken in spots. It was really mortared about 8years ago by the owner. None of the bricks on the house were different, all the same type. Do you think it is a defect with the bricks? Or just hit to hard with a pressure washer and chemicals. There were many bricks that had the same thing as photo. I added another photo that had the bricks in it.
Thanks again
Eddie

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Yeah looks like a low quality brick.
Not much you can do about that or that they would want to do unless severe.
The tuckpointing material looks smoother than normal to me.

Yeppers. Sealing the brick would just create a bigger chance of the brick spalling. I would suggest to monitor and when the damage worsens or migrates to other bricks, have the bricks replaced. Technically isn’t a concern at this point, but could become one with one good wetting and a hard freeze.

Perhaps the new tuckpointing has changed the dynamics.

Thanks for Input. Have a Happy new year

I’m looking at the photos on my phone so maybe I’m just not seeing it but is there a lintel over the window

Cant tell by the pic. I often see lintels setback from the brick face.

Why are the mortar joints so wide? Even if they were re-tucked or pointed, they shouldn’t be that wide. This might sound stupid, but is it possible that those are the old Z-brick?

Had the same thought but look at the second picture and see there is a normal exposed corner ,right of the meter.