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Hi there, we have been seeing white stuff come out between bricks in some parts of the wall. We are in an old house. Almost looks like the inside of plaster. Can anyone tell me what this might be and if we should be worried?
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @HvR. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about brick-mortar.
It appears that the mortar is deteriorated, and the surface of it is crumbling away revealing the lighter white interior. You can check this by going to another section of the wall and scratching the surface of the mortar back to see what colour it is underneath. You have some efflorescence which is salts from the brick and mortar that have permeated the bricks to their surface. It's the white discolouration on the bricks in the second image. This indicates that there potentially was some type of water leak at some stage which could have had something to do with the deteriorated mortar if it is localised to the same area.
It would be worth having a professional look at the wall and advise on whether any remedial work is required.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Question... what type of professional are you referring to that would be able to advise?
A Masonry Contractor would likely be the best fit for this job @WL. They deal with bricks and pointing and should be able to advise on methods to resolve the issue and perform the required work.
Mitchell
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