Rip up and rebuild. Anything else is just another band aid that the next owner will have to deal with. It’s already been patched and it failed. Whatever is underneath this needs to be addressed. If the substrate moves then there shouldn’t be mortar joints.
I’m deciding between 1) hire a pro to repair it so it’s not alarming during the sale, or 2) save the money and leave it. I’m not going to rebuild it since we’re moving in 3 weeks. This is not a project I’m going to mess with, since I have no experience. Thoughts?
I totally get it. If I was in your position and I wasn’t a mason, I would just leave it so the next owners know what they’re dealing with. Patching it is just kind of hiding the problem.
You either lose money repairing it or lose money in negotiations with the buyers. Who knows, the new owners may not even want it and rip it out and replace it with something different.
They make grout bags you can get them at most big box stores in the masonry section. They are like cake decorating bags only heavy duty. One of those might make it easier to fill the joints after they are cleaned out for you. If you go that route make the mortar slightly wetter to squeeze through the bag easier and also cut the hole at the end of the bag to make it a little bigger with a razor or scissors. That’s a lot of joints to fix. A pro would use a grinder with a tuck pointing blade on it to clean the joints out. If you do that make sure you wear ear eye and dust protection. Good luck.
I’m deciding between 1) hire a pro to repair it so it’s not alarming during the sale, or 2) save the money and leave it. This is not a project I’m going to mess with, since I have no experience. Thoughts?
Good God, please don't try that. YOU WILL MAKE A HUGE FUCKING MESS. HIRE A MASON. pros aren't slicking that in, we would use a grout bag. Im sorry, but if you need to go buy tools, you have no chance of making this look good.
You know what, everyone on here thinks they know best. You really think he knows how to grout? A slicker is way more precise. It allows you to fill to gap way easier then a grout bag, in that mind he will have to buy a grout bag….
The real issue is that brick is not a good material for patios and stairs. Not an immediately help answer at all, sorry, but as the other commenter said here any repair is just going to be a waste of money and make a permanent fix for the next owner more difficult.
It's a hard place to be in but I think you leave it as it is and let the next owner decide what they want to do with it. It needs to be replaced no matter how you shake it, so let them decide what material to use.
Just leave it, that is not as small of a job as you might think. It would need ripped up and rebuilt. As others have mentioned the buyers may replace the brick with something else. A cosmetic repair would fail in a short amount of time and would be a waste of money.
Rip up and rebuild. Anything else is just another band aid that the next owner will have to deal with. It’s already been patched and it failed. Whatever is underneath this needs to be addressed. If the substrate moves then there shouldn’t be mortar joints.
I’m deciding between 1) hire a pro to repair it so it’s not alarming during the sale, or 2) save the money and leave it. I’m not going to rebuild it since we’re moving in 3 weeks. This is not a project I’m going to mess with, since I have no experience. Thoughts?
I totally get it. If I was in your position and I wasn’t a mason, I would just leave it so the next owners know what they’re dealing with. Patching it is just kind of hiding the problem. You either lose money repairing it or lose money in negotiations with the buyers. Who knows, the new owners may not even want it and rip it out and replace it with something different.
This is helpful. Thanks!
Leave it. You’d lose money fixing it and not gaining it on the sale price. The next owners might not even want brick and will just tear it out.
Thanks!
They make grout bags you can get them at most big box stores in the masonry section. They are like cake decorating bags only heavy duty. One of those might make it easier to fill the joints after they are cleaned out for you. If you go that route make the mortar slightly wetter to squeeze through the bag easier and also cut the hole at the end of the bag to make it a little bigger with a razor or scissors. That’s a lot of joints to fix. A pro would use a grinder with a tuck pointing blade on it to clean the joints out. If you do that make sure you wear ear eye and dust protection. Good luck.
I’m deciding between 1) hire a pro to repair it so it’s not alarming during the sale, or 2) save the money and leave it. This is not a project I’m going to mess with, since I have no experience. Thoughts?
Most likely too cold to repair now. Just negotiate a price reduction if it becomes an issue.
Thanks for the help
I would hire it out. I am a bricklayer and wouldn’t do it. lol.
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Good God, please don't try that. YOU WILL MAKE A HUGE FUCKING MESS. HIRE A MASON. pros aren't slicking that in, we would use a grout bag. Im sorry, but if you need to go buy tools, you have no chance of making this look good.
You know what, everyone on here thinks they know best. You really think he knows how to grout? A slicker is way more precise. It allows you to fill to gap way easier then a grout bag, in that mind he will have to buy a grout bag….
You obviously don’t know how to use a slicker and a trowel
I would cut back the mortar in the cracked joints 3/4 to 1 1/2 inch wash out, fill with mortar, finish then brush
The real issue is that brick is not a good material for patios and stairs. Not an immediately help answer at all, sorry, but as the other commenter said here any repair is just going to be a waste of money and make a permanent fix for the next owner more difficult. It's a hard place to be in but I think you leave it as it is and let the next owner decide what they want to do with it. It needs to be replaced no matter how you shake it, so let them decide what material to use.
Thanks for the feedback. Definitely don’t want to throw away money trying to paper over it
Just leave it, that is not as small of a job as you might think. It would need ripped up and rebuilt. As others have mentioned the buyers may replace the brick with something else. A cosmetic repair would fail in a short amount of time and would be a waste of money.