How to add waterproofing to exposed brick?

[Lizbeth76]

 We have some water ingress causing some exposed bricks to be damp in our family room. Part was covered by wood which rotted and part with carpet (now disgusting). It's only 2 rows of brick so I'm thinking I can cover myself but not sure what waterproofing product to buy. It needs to be appropriate for bricks that are already damp.

Thanks!

[EricL]

Hello @Lizbeth76 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about waterproofing exposed brick.

I suggest having a quick look at this discussion - Who to call for a leak or rising damp? by @murphymazz12. 

Would it be possible for you post a photo of your brick wall? This will let our members see how severe the water ingress is on your brick wall. Generally, when the water ingress is too much, no amount of coating will be able to hold back the water as the hydrostatic pressure is too great.

However, if the water coming through the brick is minimal, it might be possible to use Dunlop 4L Damp-Proof Waterproofing. It is an acrylic brush-on membrane, and will prevent rising damp, efflorescence and will resist negative hydrostatic pressure.

If the water is coming through very slowly, I suggest cleaning the brick surface with a brush and detergent to remove any moss and mould build up. Once it is relatively dry, I suggest using a heat gun on the brick surface to dry it off. Once the surface is dry allow the brick to cool down to room temperature before you start painting the surface. 

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric