Removing Seams In Concrete Block Walls

This can diminish the appearance of your basement walls.

Removing seams in concrete block walls.

Mix up new mortar. Safety goggles cold chisel hammer masonry caulk wire brush mortar mix. Concrete walls sometimes only leak periodically such as after a hard rain or during snow melts. Apply concrete to any gaps in the blocks or mortar using a shovel.

1 trace the mortar joints surrounding the blocks you wish to remove using a marker. Between mortar joints for cement block walls and around pipes where they enter or exit such as a water supply line or a sewer pipe. Spray the cleaning solution onto the building surface and allow it to sit for several minutes. A high quality dehumidifier will help remove excess.

If you notice a white powdery film on your basement walls efflorescence is likely the culprit. Or if the surface is indoors you can use a spray bottle filled with water to rinse the surface thoroughly. To remove efflorescence from your concrete block walls you will need a few handy tools and ingredients. Fill the holes and cracks as deeply as you can then scrape the top over with a trowel so the concrete can patch the wall together evenly.

2 apply the cleaning solution. However some walls gush water through openings in the concrete. You will need the following tools to start. To remove blocks you have to cut through the hardened mortar using saws designed for masonry work.

How to repair cinder block mortar joints. Start by grinding the top and bottom of the horizontal bed joints with an angle grinder photo 1. How to seal a leaking concrete wall. Apply mortar to vertical joints.

Clean the joints with water. You will need a bucket filled with warm water liquid dish soap sponge clean cloth paint or bristle brush dry cloth protective goggles and a fan. Start at outside corners and work inward. You only need to grind 3 4 in.

Fill in the cracks or holes with concrete. If the surface is outdoors you can use a hose to spray down the surface. Efflorescence typically shows up better on darker concrete and occurs when the salts and other materials in the concrete make their way to the surface.