Our Services

Stain removal

At The Brick Fixer we have an in-depth knowledge of staining and stain treatment.

Many different types of stains can develop on bricks, concrete and mortar and for a wide variety of reasons. It detracts from the aesthetics of the surface and often reflects underlying issues that may cause longer term damage if left untreated.

Identifying and removing stains can be complex and difficult to do successfully. At The Brick Fixer we have an in-depth knowledge of staining and stain treatment. We have developed a systematic process for identifying and then treating many stains and have also produced a number of chemical blends that can effectively treat many specific stains. These chemical treatments are continually evolving as we aim to lead the market in stain removal solutions.

If a stain can be treated we have the know-how to do it.

If you’d like to know more about the types of stains that you are likely to encounter, please click below and click here for examples of successful projects we have concluded.

Types of stains

Efflorescence

Efflorescence is a powdery deposit of salt that forms on the surface of cement, bricks and mortar. It is usually white but efflorescence can be yellow, green or brown. Often a temporary efflorescence forms on new brickwork as soluble salts are transported to the surface of the brickwork by water. These can be sodium based carbonate, chloride or sulfate salts.

Efflorescence can originate from a variety of sources:

• Bricks, mortar and concrete frequently contain some soluble salt content.
• Ground waters that are naturally salt-bearing can be drawn into base brickwork.
• A faulty or bridged damp-proof course will allow the salts to migrate up the wall.
• Render that has been applied over a damp-proof course can also allow salt to migrate up the face of the brickwork.
• Water allowed to enter uncovered cavity walls during construction is also likely to cause efflorescence, so brickwork must be protected from water entry during construction.

The amount of efflorescence that occurs is related to the amount of water in the bricks, and the time they have had to dry. Persistent efflorescence should be taken as a warning that water is entering the wall through faulty copings, damp-proof courses or pipes. If allowed to continue unchecked, the salts carried to the face of the wall may eventually attack the bricks and cause deterioration.

 

Salts, Scum & Silicates

These stains are not uncommon in recently laid bricks and mortar and are usually calcium based. They manifest as very fine salts on mineral silicates and can be very difficult to remove. These salts occur when low pH rain water enters the bricks and mortar. Often these stains cannot be seen when the bricks are wet but they repeatedly reappear when the bricks dry.

Other causes of these stains are:

• Poor bricklaying that needs excessive pressure washing which forces too much water into the bricks
• The use of excessively concentrated acids which react with the brick and mortar and the salts wick to the surface of the brick each time it dries.
• Any excessive water exposure that saturates the brick can result in scum forming e.g. by downpipes and under any exposed areas that have been open to rain.

These deposits are not acid soluble and cleaning them with more acid will only make them worse. Very toxic chemical treatments are required to clean mineral silicate stains; often referred to as scum (or muriatic acid stains in the US & UK). Many people mistake them for efflorescence, but efflorescence is far easier to remove and prevent.

We have developed expertise in solving these staining problems as we understand that mineral salts can form different crystal structures, thus requiring specific chemical formulations. Our scientific approach ensures we develop the appropriate chemical solution through a detailed testing process. As every occurrence of stains has its unique attributes, we aim to remove 90% or more of the stain after the first treatment process. The individual nature of these stains will determine the appropriate treatments required.

Currently, many suppliers default to using Class 7 compounds like hydrofluoric acid. These fluoride based chemistries are very dangerous and highly reactive. They can cause serious harm or even death. Further to this, these chemicals can cause damage to many materials such as glass, metals, paint, rubber and the environment. We would only advise as a last resort, with full consent of our Client and with appropriate health and safety procedures in place.

We advocate using less aggressive acids than the conventional Hydrochloric Acid that is widely used in the industry. We advocate a product called BFA 66. Please click here if you would like to find out more about The Brick Fixer products.

 

Transition Metal Stains: Iron & Acid Burn, Vanadium, Manganese & Molybdenum

These types of stains often appear shortly after bricks have been laid. The source of the staining is due to the mineral content of the brick and its reaction to poor cleaning processes, such as excessive acid usage, or excessive water issues.

One well known process is that of Iron staining often mistakenly called Acid burn;

The challenge that these stains create, is that each of these metals exhibits similar colours when reacted with water or acid. Often, there are more than two of these metals in each brick and therefore each stain has to be dealt with separately.

We have great experience of dealing with staining and are often called in when previous treatments have failed.