Okay, so the other day I had this annoying crack in the brick wall on my patio. It wasn’t huge, but it was definitely bugging me. I figured I’d tackle it myself instead of calling someone, you know, save a few bucks. So I decided to use some brick patching compound.
First things first, I gathered my stuff. I already had:
- A trowel (the pointy kind)
- A wire brush
- A bucket of water
- Some old rags
I went to the local hardware store and picked up a tub of pre-mixed brick patching compound. Make sure you get the right color! They had a few different shades of red, so I grabbed one that looked like a close match.
Getting Started
I started by cleaning out the crack. This is super important! I used the wire brush to scrub out any loose bits of brick and mortar. You want to get all the dust and junk out of there so the new compound has something solid to stick to. I just scrubbed it for some time.
Then, I took my trowel and scooped out some of the compound. It was kinda like thick, gritty toothpaste. I pressed it into the crack, starting at one end and working my way along. I made sure to really push it in there to fill the whole gap.
Once the crack was filled, I used the edge of the trowel to smooth out the surface. I tried to make it flush with the rest of the brick, but it wasn’t perfect. I’m no professional, alright?
The Waiting Game
I let it dry. The instructions on the tub said to wait at least 24 hours, so I just left it alone. It was a sunny day, so I figured it would dry pretty quickly.
Next day, I checked on it. It was solid! I gently wiped it down with a damp rag to get rid of any excess compound and to blend it in a little better with the surrounding brick.
Honestly, it turned out better than I expected! It’s not totally invisible, but you have to really look to see the repair. And, most importantly, that crack is gone. Saved myself some money and got to feel handy for a day. Win-win!
