ᐅ Self-installing a facade made of fired thin bricks (brick slips) yourself...

I installed a facade made of fired brick slips myself. After a short time, white discolorations appeared in some areas, mostly on the weather-exposed side. What is this, and how can I fix it?

Hello,

what you refer to as white discolorations are most likely so-called "efflorescence," which mainly occurs on facing bricks. As far as I know, both the bricks themselves (depending on the type of brick) and the mortar joints can effloresce because certain minerals can be washed out and then crystallize on the surface, forming this white residue. It is said to be especially prominent with pre-mixed mortar, which can be laid for several days, as it contains retarders that promote this efflorescence.

You can easily remove these crystallized minerals with diluted hydrochloric acid. Please make sure to follow all safety precautions when handling acids (protective eyewear, gloves, etc.). Don’t forget to rinse thoroughly with water afterward.

Hello
a well-known issue
as already mentioned: wash off
but then don't forget: apply a water repellent treatment to prevent efflorescence from reoccurring after a certain time.
The water repellent treatment prevents water from penetrating the facing brick or the joint.
It is usually sprayed on, is vapor-permeable, and dries without leaving a visible film.

I am interested in how you "installed" these brick slips. How were they fixed in place? How was the jointing done?

The brick slips were glued onto doweled polystyrene with a routed joint, the adhesive was fully spread across the surface, and the jointing was done with quartz sand and cement in a ratio of 1:3.

What does the tile supplier say about the white spots?
Has the adhesive from the tile manufacturer been recommended for this construction method?