Common defects in brick work and cement mortar

1. Raw materials like brick, sand, cement and water are of sub standard quality without qualifying any test. 2. Bricks are not soaked in water properly. 3. The joints in brick works are thicker, unfilled properly. 4. Raking of mortar is not done when the mortar is green. 5. Bricks bats are used in masonry work. 6. Mortar is not mixed properly on platform. 7. There is improper mixing of cement mortar 8. There is excessive water content in mortar 9. Brick work is not in plumb, level and straight line. 10. Mortar is not according to the structural requirements. 11. There are gaps between door/window frame and masonry. 12. The holes of scaffolding are not filled in with mortar properly. 13. Vertical joints in brick work are hollow. 14. There is high suction of brick and less water retention of mortar 15. There are uneven joints in brick works 16. There are voids in vertical joints 17. There are disturbances of brick works just after the layout 18. Over thick joints reducing the strength of brick work.

Precautions in brick work

1. The length and width of the walls should be according to the drawings. 2. The quality of bricks should be good having required strength and should not show any efflorescence (salt on face). 3. The sand should not have fine grains and be free from silt etc. The sand used for brick mortar should be of required FM (Coarser) with no silt. 4. The mixing of mortar should be proper with required quantity of water. It should not be dry or liquid. 5. The opening of doors and windows should be left simultaneously, not by dismantling. 6. During the brick work in a building the Rain water and Sanitary pipes should be fixed during the brick work other wise the brick work would have to be dismantled to fix the pipes. 7. The bricks are soaked in water before use otherwise these will absorb water from the mortar and the bonding will be weak 8. The water should penetrate to the core of the brick but the brick should be skin dry i.e. from outside when its used in actual. 9. The frog or depression side of the brick should be upwards. 10. Minimum number of bats is used. 11. Bricks are absolutely aligned horizontally and in a straight line. This can be checked by a stretched string across the face. 12. The bricks are vertically aligned which can be checked with a plumb bob. 13. The courses or layers of bricks are level. This can be checked with a spirit level. 14. The thickness of joints is not more than 1 cm. 15. The joints should be filled with mortar fully without any gaps. 16. The joints are pushed inside when cement mortar is still wet so that later plastering can be done effectively. 17. Brick work should be kept wet for seven days so that the mortar may gain its full strength.

18. There are no continuous vertical joints 19. Bricks, sand and cement used in brick work should be according to their