Q: You have written about spalling or flaking bricks and why they’re that way. You said a cap of stone, wood or metal is needed to keep rain and snow out. Would you please explain what kind of cap you ...

Q: I have a brick wall around my patio and I’m noticing the bricks are starting to fall apart. At first there was a white powder on the face of the bricks and then the bricks started to flake apart.

Brick is a hardy, durable building material that conveys a sense of classic design and old-school charm. At the same time, it’s super tough and requires relatively little maintenance. That makes brick ...