EP 3: Cleaning Masonry Wall Stains: How-to Restore Brick’s Natural Beauty

An unsightly stain can be a major eyesore on an otherwise beautiful brick building. Attempts to remove a stain may cause additional issues if the cause of the stain is ignored, or if the removal method is inappropriate for the type of stain. The bottom line is building owners need to know the right questions to ask the qualified professionals they hire to remove the stain. In this episode of Behind the Masonry Wall, Host Joe Shuffleton speaks with masonry restoration expert, Jay O’Neill about common mistakes building owners make when estimating the cost of stain removal, the importance of finding the root cause of the stain, and best practices for doing the least amount of damage to masonry surfaces.

In this episode:

[1:13] Before removing a stain, find the origin.

[3:20] Take care when pressure washing common white calcium stains.

[5:33] Advice for removing graffiti from high-traffic areas.

[7:46] Painting a brick building is inadvisable and costly to reverse.

[12:03] Tips for reducing the cost of external building maintenance.

[16:01] Rules-of-thumb for repointing a masonry wall.

[21:28] Flashings can reduce water intrusion around tops of walls and coping stones.