Replacing Broken Bricks

Matching

The first thing you should do is to make sure that you can find a brick that matches your existing wall. Although this may sound simple, many homeowners are surprised to learn that the may have to special order a brick to have it match perfectly. If possible, contact your home's contractor to see if he has any matching bricks that you could purchase. Buy a few extra so you don't have to repeat the search process every few years.

Removal

Drill several holes into the mortar that surroundings the broken brick and then use a chisel and hammer to break it the rest of the way free. Once the brick is out, use a brush to dust away all the loose mortar and pieces of brick, leaving a clean hole for the replacement brick to slide into later.

Water

Soak the replacement brick in water for at least an hour prior to using it. When it's ready, spray down the hole with water to prevent the surrounding bricks from drying out the mortar too fast.

Mortar

Mix a batch of mortar according to the manufacturer's instructions. Add mortar coloring to the mixture to ensure that it matches your current mortar. Don't forget to test it out on a piece of cardboard -- giving it plenty of time to dry -- to make sure it's a perfect color match.

Replacement

Remove the replacement brick from the bucket of water and then use a trowel to scrape mortar onto the bottom and sides of the brick, as well as to the sides of the hole. Slide the brick into the hole and press firmly to make sure it's secure. Add additional mortar to the edges of the brick if necessary and then smooth the excess away to create a flawless seam between the old and new brick.