Various types of defects occur in brickwork due to the adoption of low-quality materials or due to poor workmanship. These defects should be repaired and blended with the structure as soon as possible.
Following are the common defects noticed in brickwork construction:
1. Use of substandard quality bricks in masonry construction instead of the quality specified in the contract.
2. Failure to conduct efflorescence tests on bricks before using for construction.
Also Read: What is Efflorescence on Brick Masonry, Its Causes and Treatment Techniques?
3. Failure to conduct water absorption test on bricks before use.
4. Ignoring the process where bricks are required to be soaked in water before use in construction.
5. Leaving thicker joints in brick masonry than required.
6. Roughly and carelessly finished joints of brick masonry below the ground level.
7. Leaving hollow vertical joints in brickwork.
8. Using a weak mortar mix, which after settlement, when scratched with a screwdriver, rakes out completely with ease.
9. Improper raking of joints when the mortar is green.
10. Using Brick bats as fillers and closers.
11. Improper mixing of mortar in a machine or on a platform.
12. Laying uneven layers of bricks that are not truly horizontal.
13. Construction with brickwork that is out of plumb and alignment with walls.
14. Using weak mortar for binding bricks and not as per the structural requirements.
15. Leaving brick courses on the edges where required.
16. Leaving gaps between door frames, window frames and masonry.
17. Neglecting the use of reinforcement in long partition walls constructed with brick masonry.
18. Filling up the scaffolding-holes on bricks with dry bricks without using mortar.
Read More: Recommendations for Good Brick Masonry Construction Practices