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I just completed a brick patio using brick pavers. One pallet of bricks has white stuff on them, but it doesn’t appear to be mildue. Any idea what this could be and how to clean it so all the bricks look the same?
Also, since we’ll be walking on this and I have two little boys and two dogs that like to get dirty, what do you think about sealing the bricks with a clear transparent deck sealer?
Replies
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The white stuff could very well be some type of efflorescence, water soluble salts that will show up when moisture passes through brick. Being water soluble, they should be able to be removed with either hard scrubbing with water and soap or TSP or with a commercial brick cleaner. ALWAYS wet the brick before applying any type of cleaner. Wooden deck sealer isn't appropriate for masonry. If it were me, I'd leave it alone, but if you feel you must seal it, you may wish to consider using a siloxane masonry sealant, as it'll protect the brick from standing water without making the surface slick or promote spalling. An example product would be PROSOCO Weather Seal Siloxane. PROSOCO products, also called SureKlean, are stocked by many professional masonry product suppliers.
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NO! Don't wet it - the efflorescence (salts) will partly dissolve back into the bricks and resurface later. Brush off everything you can when it's DRY first and once it's all settled down (after a few weeks or so)and you've brushed off the dry salts a few times it should be OK.
Dan
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I just completed a brick patio using brick pavers. One pallet of bricks has white stuff on them, but it doesn't appear to be mildue. Any idea what this could be and how to clean it so all the bricks look the same?
Also, since we'll be walking on this and I have two little boys and two dogs that like to get dirty, what do you think about sealing the bricks with a clear transparent deck sealer?