Maple Home Improvements provides professional brickwork waterproofing for homes across Birmingham and the West Midlands. We apply breathable, clear masonry protection creams that help stop rain from soaking into exposed brick, while keeping the natural look of your walls.
Every job starts with a survey and masonry test. Where pointing has failed, or bricks are damaged, we repair them first, so the treatment goes onto a sound surface and protects the wall properly.
Brickwork waterproofing, sometimes called brick sealing or brick damp proofing, is the application of a water-repellent treatment to external brick and mortar. It reduces how much rainwater the wall absorbs. Modern masonry protection creams soak into the surface and line the pores, so water beads and runs off instead of being drawn into the masonry.
Unlike paint or film-forming sealers, a good breathable treatment still lets moisture vapour escape from inside the wall. That matters because brickwork needs to dry out, and sealing water in can cause as many problems as letting it in. Waterproofing is most useful on porous, weathered or exposed brick that becomes saturated in wet weather.
Waterproofing treats rain penetration through the face of the wall. It is not a cure for rising damp or condensation, and on its own it won’t fix leaking gutters, cracked brickwork or failed pointing. That’s why we identify the cause of any damp before recommending treatment.
Not every product sold as a brick sealer is suitable for a house exterior. We use professional-grade treatments from top brands, selected for the brick type, the wall’s condition, and its exposure to the weather.
Masonry protection creams are thick, water-repellent treatments that cling to the wall rather than running off. This lets them soak further into brick and mortar than thin liquid repellents. Once cured, they are normally colourless and leave the surface looking much as it did, while making it strongly water-repellent.
Film-forming sealers and some waterproof paints create a surface skin. On external brickwork, this can trap moisture behind it, leading to frost damage, flaking and damp problems inside. Breathable water repellents work differently. They repel liquid water but still allow water vapour through, so the wall can keep drying out naturally.
Solid brick walls, common in Birmingham’s older terraces and period homes, have no cavity to stop rain reaching the inside. Reducing how much water they absorb can make a real difference. On cavity walls, a water-repellent face helps limit how much moisture reaches the cavity, which is particularly relevant where the cavity has been insulated.
Chimney stacks, gable ends and walls facing the prevailing weather take the heaviest rainfall and dry out slowly. Repeated soaking and freezing can cause brick faces to spall and mortar to break down. Treating these areas reduces water uptake, which helps limit frost damage, efflorescence and staining on the most vulnerable parts of the building.
Brick sealing only works when the cause of the damp has been diagnosed, the wall has been repaired and is dry, and a breathable product is applied at the correct coverage. Getting any of these wrong can leave gaps in protection or trap moisture in the masonry.
These images show brickwork waterproofing in practice, from cleaning and repairs to the finished, treated wall. On a treated surface, rainwater beads and runs off rather than soaking into the brick.
A water-repellent treatment is only as good as the surface it’s applied to. Our process makes sure the wall is sound, clean and dry before any protection goes on.
01
We inspect the brickwork and pointing, look for the cause of any damp and carry out a masonry test to check how porous the brick and mortar are. This tells us whether the wall is suitable for treatment and what needs repairing first.
02
We clean the brickwork to remove dirt, algae and loose material, then repair any deteriorated areas. This can include repointing, replacing damaged bricks and dealing with cracks, so the treatment goes onto a sound, crack-free surface.
03
Once the wall is dry and the weather is suitable, we apply a breathable masonry protection cream evenly at the manufacturer’s recommended coverage. Windows, doors and neighbouring surfaces are protected throughout.
Maple Home Improvements provides brickwork waterproofing, brick sealing and masonry protection across Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Bearwood, Harborne, Kings Heath, Edgbaston, Erdington, Worcester, Oldbury and West Heath. Whether you have a Victorian terrace with solid walls or a more modern cavity-wall home, we’ll survey the brickwork and recommend the right protection.