I took out a wall in AC unit from a rowhouse wall and was attempting sawtooth new bricks in to help remove any evidence of the AC in the wall. In doing so, I have 2 challenges.
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One brick cracked off in 2 pieces , but the dislodged portion covers little area on the face. It starts from the bottom corner and to the top about an inch over on the 8 x 2.25 inch brick. My question here can I simply slide it back in place – or should I replace it which means more drilling and cleaning. Its getting close to the edge of the wall.
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The AC chassis was about 25.5 inches wide so I have about 1.5 inches to fill – how thick can vertical mortar be? The existing mortar elsewhere is very thin – like 1/8 inch but vertical joints shouldn’t be so noticeable- right? Also, I plan to have someone paint the brick in the end :).
Best Answer
Yes, you can backfill the broken brick with mortar and use it. Masons have done just that since they were using natural stone.
An occasional mortar joint of an inch and half isn't the end of the world. Foundations that step vertically over rough footings often have large gap fills. The key is good mortar quality, and to understand that it may look odd. Avoid non-standard layout if you can.