Mortar free cavity

[Mr Blobby]

What is the best way to minimise mortar buildup from droppings inside cavity walls?

 

I read on here somewhere (can't find it now) about removing a corner block and sliding lath up the cavity to remove droppings.

Is this feasable? 

What have others done?

 

Brickies didn't laugh when I said I wanted clean cavities so there's some hope...

[Pocster]

1 hour ago, Mr Blobby said:

Brickies didn't laugh when I said I wanted clean cavities

👍😉

[Carrerahill]

I've seen some blocks omitted every so often to allow final clean out, then a block slid in to close, thinking about it, I think they actually put the block in with a very weak mortar so it could just be easily dug out.

 

The walls were not big (max 4m long) and they got in and pulled out most of the slops.

 

Other options may exist, thinking of my build, I can sort of get into bits of my cavity from the solum through the vent sleeves that go through the inner leaf - if I wanted I could have had more of a honeycomb affair which would have allowed clean out.

 

There will be lots of options from vent-bricks that are left out to other access points.

 

Another option, and one I firmly believes exists, is a skilled brickie who will drop very little down the cavity. Our brickie who has built everything for us, laid our cavity wall blockwork with a bed and mortar mix which just squeezed out and left a slight bump and when it did go a bit further it always seemed to stay put. If the mix is a bit sloppy, you're going to get lots of slop so a good mix is key, and a good brickie who is good at putting down a bed should not really be putting so much mortar down that it is squeezing out enough to fall constantly. On a new straight and level build with good coursing the bed should be pretty consistent and should not be so deep as to be wasteful. 

[Brickie]

If you have a cavity tray,you can take the corner bricks out,leave the odd brick out along each run (say every couple of metres) and rod any mortar droppings with a length of batten from each end. Best to do it before it sets though-if you need to get vigorous you risk damaging the tray. 
Or (my preferred option) use full fill cavity batts & everyone’s a winner 😀

[Mr Blobby]

2 hours ago, Carrerahill said:

I've seen some blocks omitted every so often to allow final clean out, then a block slid in to close, thinking about it, I think they actually put the block in with a very weak mortar so it could just be easily dug out.

 

Thank you for your helpful responses.

Chief brickie did say he'd put in a "sand brick" every few blocks so he could clean mortar out of the cavity.  I did wonder if he was perhaps a bit mental, but now I'm reassured.

Next few days will be interesting...

 

[saveasteading]

That's why I like cavity fill rockwool. There is nowhere for mortar to fall.

Or I could trust all bricklayers.

 

Apologies to you good ones.

Edited May 24, 2023 by saveasteading

[Carrerahill]

13 hours ago, saveasteading said:

That's why I like cavity fill rockwool. There is nowhere for mortar to fall.

Or I could trust all bricklayers.

 

Apologies to you good ones.

But I then fret about the lack of ventilation... 

[JackofAll]

On 24/05/2023 at 14:09, Mr Blobby said:

What is the best way to minimise mortar buildup from droppings inside cavity walls?

 

I read on here somewhere (can't find it now) about removing a corner block and sliding lath up the cavity to remove droppings.

Is this feasable? 

What have others done?

 

Brickies didn't laugh when I said I wanted clean cavities so there's some hope...

plan on making up something like this, with mortar near flush to outside of external leaf and 12-15mm spacer on inside face of same block then turn it round for the inner leaf. You'll have consistent beds and no spots in cavity