A Practical Guide to Using White Bricks

White, ivory and cream bricks can create a beautifully understated façade, bringing softness, texture and natural variation to both contemporary and traditional architecture. However, their light colour also means that construction marks, environmental staining and normal weathering will be more visible than they would be on darker brickwork.

A successful result depends on more than simply choosing the right brick. Brick selection, storage, mortar, laying technique, moisture management, cleaning and ongoing maintenance must all be considered before construction begins.

White bricks should not be expected to behave like a perfectly uniform white porcelain tile or painted surface. Depending on the product, natural variation may include:

• Warm white, ivory, cream and pale grey tones.
• Pink, coral or pale red highlights caused by naturally occurring iron in the clay.
• Variations in texture, colour and dimensions.
• Sanded, weathered, scummed or tumbled surface finishes.
• Chips, softened edges and residual mortar on reclaimed products.
• Gradual changes in appearance as the brickwork responds to its environment.

These characteristics give white brickwork its depth and individuality. They should be understood and accepted before the bricks are ordered.

White bricks are also naturally more likely to show dust, pollen, pollution, stormwater marks and organic staining. This is not an indication that the brick is defective; it is simply more visible against a light-coloured surface.

Consider the building’s environment before selecting a white brick. The likelihood of visible staining may be greater where brickwork is:

• Beneath overhanging or sap-producing trees.
• Beside garden beds, mulch or exposed soil.
• Below rooflines without adequate gutters, flashings or overhangs.
• Exposed to concentrated stormwater runoff.
• Near busy roads, industrial areas or other sources of airborne pollution.
• Used beside swimming pools, irrigation systems or coastal environments.
• Installed horizontally as paving, steps or wall capping.

Horizontal and near-horizontal surfaces will generally require more maintenance than vertical walls because they collect dirt and remain wet for longer.

Where maintaining a consistently clean, pale appearance is particularly important, sealing may be worth considering.

A single brick cannot represent an entire wall, particularly when selecting handmade or reclaimed bricks. View:

• Several loose samples.
• A properly blended sample panel.
• Completed projects where possible.
• Both wet and completely dry brickwork.

White bricks can appear substantially darker when wet. White bricks, for example, may take on a coffee-like colour when saturated before returning to their normal pale appearance once completely dry.

Mortar can also dramatically change the overall appearance. A sample panel should include the proposed mortar colour, joint profile and cleaning method—not just the selected brick.

Poor storage can introduce moisture and contamination before construction has even begun.

Bricks should:

• Remain on their pallets until required.
• Be stored clear of soil, mud and standing water.
• Be covered against rain while still allowing ventilation.
• Never be stacked directly on the ground.
• Be protected from concrete slurry, rusting steel, timber tannins, paint, oils and other building contaminants.

Elephant Brick Co recommends cutting ventilation openings in the pallet wrapping so the bricks can breathe without being directly exposed to the weather. Saturated bricks can contribute to efflorescence and other moisture-related staining. Brick Wall Construction Guide

White, handmade and reclaimed bricks must be blended during laying. Bricks should be drawn vertically from several pallets at the same time rather than completing one pallet before opening the next.

Blending distributes variations in:

• Colour and tone.
• Texture and surface coating.
• Dimensions.
• Kiln flashing.
• Weathered patina.
• Residual mortar on reclaimed bricks.

Failure to blend can result in obvious patches, bands or changes in colour across the finished wall. These become much more difficult—and often impossible—to correct after laying.

For reclaimed bricks, blending from at least six pallets at a time is recommended wherever practical.

Mortar represents a significant proportion of the visible wall and can either complement or overwhelm a white brick.

White or warm off-white mortar is generally recommended because it:

• Creates a softer and more cohesive appearance.
• Reduces the contrast between the brick and joint.
• Makes minor mortar residue less noticeable.
• Complements ivory, cream and reclaimed white tones.
• Helps disguise small variations and edge chips.

Mortar should be accurately batched throughout the project. Changes in cement, lime, sand, water content or additives can produce visible colour differences.

Overly wet mortar should be avoided. It is more likely to smear across the brick face and may increase the movement of moisture and salts through the wall. Excess cement or lime can also contribute to efflorescence.

For many white bricks, a flush or very shallow-raked joint creates the most cohesive finish. Flush joints can also improve weather resistance by reducing ledges where water and dirt may collect.

The joint should be finished when the mortar is firm enough to hold its shape but remains workable. If it is finished while excessively wet, cement-rich mortar may be smeared over the brick face.

A lightly wet-sponged flush joint can work particularly well with some white bricks.

Always confirm the approved jointing method for the particular brick before work begins.

Good brick cleaning begins with good bricklaying.

Cleaning should not be treated as a final attempt to repair carelessly laid brickwork. Mortar dags should be cut away with a trowel and dry-brushed once the mortar is no longer wet or tacky but is still sufficiently soft to remove.

Dry brushing at the correct time:

• Prevents wet mortar from being smeared into the brick.
• Reduces the need for chemical cleaning.
• Protects delicate sanded and weathered finishes.
• Limits damage to brick faces and mortar joints.
• Produces a cleaner and more consistent result.

Scaffolding and the wall below the active work area should also be kept clean. Mortar droppings from upper levels should not be allowed to harden on completed brickwork.

Excessive water entering partially completed walls is a major contributor to staining. During construction:

• Cover the tops of unfinished walls at the end of each day.
• Install flashings, copings and sills as early as possible.
• Prevent roof and scaffold water from draining over brick faces.
• Keep cavities clear and ensure weep holes remain open.
• Do not allow sprinklers or hoses to saturate new brickwork.
• Direct stormwater away from the building.

Moisture can dissolve salts within bricks, mortar and surrounding materials and transport them to the surface. Reducing water penetration is generally more effective than repeatedly cleaning the symptoms.

All clay bricks are porous and can absorb and wick water. A correctly positioned physical damp-proof course prevents ground moisture from rising through the wall.

As a general rule, the DPC should be at least 150 mm above the finished landscape surface and must remain visible. Some reduced clearances may be permitted in protected or appropriately paved situations, so the project must be constructed in accordance with the applicable National Construction Code requirements.

After construction, soil, garden beds, mulch and paving must not bridge the DPC. A bridged or incorrectly positioned DPC can lead to:

• Rising damp.
• Persistent efflorescence.
• Dark tide marks and general staining.
• Mortar deterioration.
• Mould and internal moisture problems.
• Long-term deterioration of the brickwork.

Further information is available in Elephant Brick Co’s Damp-Proof Course Guide.

There is no single cleaning chemical suitable for every type of brick stain. A product that removes one contaminant may permanently worsen another.

Before cleaning, determine:

1. What type of brick is involved?
2. Is it new, handmade, reclaimed, tinted or reclamation-style?
3. What caused the stain?
4. Is moisture still entering the wall?
5. What cleaning methods does the brick supplier permit?

Always complete a test on a small, inconspicuous area and allow it to dry completely before treating the full wall. The appearance of wet brickwork is not a reliable indication of the final result.

Think Brick Australia’s technical guidance recommends using its Clay Masonry Cleaning Manual to identify stains and select the appropriate treatment.

Efflorescence occurs when water dissolves naturally occurring salts in bricks, mortar, soil or adjacent materials. As the water moves to the surface and evaporates, the salts are deposited as a white powder or crystalline film.

Efflorescence is generally cosmetic and does not mean the bricks are failing. However, persistent or concentrated efflorescence may indicate ongoing water entry.

To manage efflorescence:

• Allow the wall to dry completely.
• Dry-brush loose deposits first.
• Avoid immediately washing salts back into the wall.
• Check gutters, flashings, copings, DPCs, leaking pipes and landscaping.
• Make sure garden beds and paving are not bridging the DPC.
• Consider an approved efflorescence-control mortar additive during construction.

Do not automatically use hydrochloric acid. It is not the default treatment for efflorescence and may damage mortar or create additional staining. See Elephant Brick Co’s Understanding Efflorescence Guide

Light-coloured clays may contain naturally occurring vanadium salts. These salts are normally colourless but can appear yellow, green or reddish-brown after excessive wetting or inappropriate acid cleaning.

Vanadium staining:

• Is most noticeable on white, ivory, cream and grey bricks.
• Is not biological growth.
• Is generally harmless.
• Does not indicate a structural defect.
• May fade naturally when exposed to normal weathering.

Hydrochloric acid can darken or “fix” vanadium staining, making it considerably harder to remove. Any suspected vanadium stain should therefore be identified and treated before conventional mortar-residue cleaning.

Where treatment is necessary, an appropriate oxalic-acid solution may be used, followed by a neutralising wash. Because the correct concentration and method depend on the product and extent of staining, this should be confirmed with the brick supplier or completed by an experienced brick cleaner.

Pink, orange, red-brown or rusty staining can originate from:

• Iron naturally present in pale clay.
• Iron-bearing mortar sand.
• Rusting brick straps or steelwork.
• Metal filings or tools left on the wall.
• Water running from unprotected metal components.
• Incorrect or excessively strong hydrochloric-acid cleaning.

Fresh mortar is highly alkaline. Under some conditions, iron in the mortar sand can migrate to the surface and oxidise, creating pink or orange staining that is particularly noticeable on white brickwork.

Incorrect acid cleaning may produce “acid burn,” permanently altering both the brick and mortar. Common causes include using excessive acid, applying acid to a dry wall, allowing the solution to dry on the surface, or failing to rinse thoroughly.

Oxalic-acid-based treatments may assist with some iron stains, but the source and brick type must first be identified.

White brickwork can show stains from oils and tannins released by trees, leaves and timber. Airborne dust, pollen and urban pollution can also accumulate on rough or porous surfaces. Stormwater may then concentrate these contaminants into visible streaks.

Good design and maintenance can reduce the problem:

• Keep trees and shrubs from constantly contacting the wall.
• Avoid resting timber against brickwork.
• Keep gutters, downpipes and flashings in working order.
• Prevent irrigation from repeatedly wetting the wall.
• Wash away bird droppings and organic spills promptly.
• Address shaded, permanently damp areas that encourage algae or mould.

Where organic growth is present, treat the biological cause with an appropriate masonry-safe cleaner. Aggressive pressure washing may remove the visible growth while leaving roots or spores behind and damaging the surface.

Sealing is not essential for every white brick wall, but it can be a sensible option where:

• The wall is beneath trees or heavy vegetation.
• Pollution, dust or pollen levels are high.
• The brickwork is exposed to repeated splashback.
• The bricks are used internally near kitchens or fireplaces.
• Maintaining a consistently clean appearance is important.

Use only a breathable sealer specifically approved for clay masonry. A breathable product helps resist liquid water while allowing water vapour to escape.

Before sealing:

1. Complete all cleaning.
2. Correct any source of moisture.
3. Allow the brickwork to become completely dry.
4. Test the sealer on several bricks.
5. Allow the test area to cure fully.
6. Check for darkening, gloss, patchiness or colour change.

Sealers do not make brickwork maintenance-free and may require renewal. They can also change the colour or sheen, so testing is essential.

Before construction:

• Approve a representative sample panel.
• Confirm mortar colour and joint profile.
• Obtain the product-specific laying and cleaning instructions.
• Brief the builder, bricklayer and cleaner.
• Plan DPCs, flashings, sills, copings and stormwater management.
• Decide whether sealing will be required.

During construction:

• Store bricks above ground and protected from rain.
• Blend from multiple pallets.
• Keep mortar consistent and avoid overly wet mixes.
• Remove mortar while it remains workable.
• Protect unfinished wall tops.
• Keep steel, timber, soil and other contaminants away from the brickwork.
• Do not allow landscaping to bridge the DPC.

Before cleaning:

• Identify the brick and the stain.
• Confirm which cleaning methods are permitted.
• Test an inconspicuous area.
• Start with the least aggressive method.
• Never assume hydrochloric acid or high pressure is safe.
• Engage an experienced brick cleaner where chemical treatment is required.

This guide provides general information only. Brick composition, surface treatments, mortar and staining conditions vary considerably. Product-specific instructions supplied by Elephant Brick Co take precedence over general cleaning advice. Chemical cleaners should only be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s safety directions, after testing, and preferably by a suitably experienced professional.