German Smear Gone Wrong? Here Are Ways to Fix or Avoid Major Problems
The best way to fix German smear gone bad is to avoid letting it happen in the first place. Here are some expert tips from the PROs at A&X Masonry in Dallas.
At A&X Masonry, we love adding the beautiful German smear finish to houses, fireplaces and kitchen backsplashes in our area of Dallas. It’s a great choice for homeowners since German smear with its rugged charm never seems to go out of style.
Some German Smear projects are even simple enough you can do them on your own. The technique is relatively easy to learn and doesn’t require a lot of special tools. And if you have a little bit of construction experience, things will go a lot smoother for you.
But still, it’s easy to run into some problems while doing a German Smear finish. They range from minor style issues to major discoloration.
What are some common issues you might run into if you try to do these yourself or when hiring a contractor?
Let’s have a look.
German Smear Common Mistakes
If you look at our German Smear DIY instructions, you’ll see that it’s not an overly complicated process. Mix water and a premade mortar mix to create a soft mortar that you then spread over the brick.
Then, before the mortar is dry, you wipe or scrape some of it off to expose parts of the brick. If you don’t have time to DIY or just want to make sure to get it right, hiring a professional masonry company is a good idea.
While many homeowners have found success with the DIY route, some are stunned to see their German smear go bad!
- What are these errors?
- And what can you do to prevent or fix them?
Important! Do It Right the First Time
Before looking at the common German smear mistakes and how to avoid them, it’s important to understand the following.
A German smear finish is permanent.
Once the mortar is smeared onto your brick or stone and allowed to dry, there is no way to reverse the process, remove the mortar, and restore the bricks or stone to their original condition.
You may be able to scrape some mortar off or add more, but you will never get the brick to look exactly as you did before you started.
That’s why it’s so important to do the German smear correctly the first time.
Okay, we got that out of the way. Now let’s look at some common German smear problems.
The Most Common German Smear Gone Bad Problems
Here are the most common problems DIYers face when a German smear project goes wrong.
Discolored Mortar On the Bricks
Some homeowners are disappointed to find that their white German Smear mortar turns an ugly color of yellow. This sometimes happens a day or two after it’s spread over the brick.
It can be super annoying to see this happen, especially since you were probably hoping for a nice clean white mortar finish.
There are two possible reasons for this happening.
- Lack of cleaning before smearing
Before you smear the mortar wash onto the brick surface, it’s really important to make sure the bricks are clean.
This isn’t just to protect the final color of the mortar. Bricks should be devoid of any dirt, or else the dirt will get stuck between the old bricks and the new mortar. This could cause the new mortar to stick to the dirt and not to the actual brick, which with time could cause the mortar to fall off.
The dirt from the brick can also mix in with the mortar as you’re spreading it and is likely to affect the final result’s color.
- Nicotine Bleeding
Nicotine bleeding isn’t just a health term. It is also a construction term that’s used to describe when the nicotine on walls bleeds through paint or mortar.
If you paint or do a German Smear finish in a smoker’s home, it can gradually turn a yellow or brown color because of the smoke contaminants that bleed through from the original wall surface.
So if you’re applying German Smear in the home of a smoker, it’s best to apply a quality masonry sealer to the wall after a thorough cleaning and before starting the German smear design.
Inconsistent Results
Most homeowners deal with an inconsistent German smear finish when applying the mortar over large areas, such as their home’s brick facade. Smaller areas such as a German smear brick fireplace or a German smear kitchen backsplash are easier projects to start with and practice the technique.
Inconsistent Results
Most homeowners deal with an inconsistent German smear finish when applying the mortar over large areas, such as their home’s brick facade. Smaller areas such as a German smear brick fireplace or a German smear kitchen backsplash are easier projects to start with and practice the technique.
And remember…
Completely scraping off fully cured German Smear mortar is next to impossible. Plus, it involves a lot of elbow grease and sometimes even dangerous chemicals. That’s why it’s best to do it right the first time.
IMPORTANT! If you’re moving through your project and something doesn’t seem right, it’s best to clean the mortar off the wall sooner rather than later. Wasting a couple of bucks of mortar is better than wasting several days trying to scrape it off once it’s dry.
So here are some things to watch for that could make it harder to get a consistent finish.
- Old Bricks
German Smear is a great way to breathe life into some old bricks or old stonework. But if bricks are too old and damaged, there’s not much you can do. If you apply mortar to a piece of brick that’s already starting to fall off, when it finally does fall off, it will take the mortar with it.
Also, if there are cracks in the brick because of structural issues with your home, no amount of mortar will fix that. In this case, it’s best to get the professionals to have a look. Structural issues could be risking more than just your beautiful brick.
- Brick Type
There are many types of bricks and styles of brickwork with all different sizes, colors, patterns and textures.
Smooth bricks tend to provide the most predictable results. Rustic and uneven brickwork can make it more challenging to get a consistent result.
- Pre-Wet the Brick
It gets really frustrating when the mortar starts to dry too quickly and you don’t have enough time to wipe it off. Bricks are porous and will start sucking moisture out of your mortar as soon as you start applying it.
That’s why it’s best to spray your brick wall down with water before you start smearing on the mortar mix. Since the bricks are pre-moistened, your mortar will take longer to dry out and it will be easier to work with.
- Not Practicing Beforehand
The time to practice and refine your German smear technique is not when you’re working on the finished surface. Find an area that’s out of the way and practice there. Or better yet, but a 4×8 sheet of faux brick from Lowes or Home Depot and practice on that.
Once you’re happy with the finish you’re producing, then it’s time to move on to the area of your house you will see.
How to Fix German Smear Failures
Generally, the German Smear is permanent, but there are some things you can do to try to repair it.
IMPORTANT! – The best time to try to clean mortar off your brick or stone is right after you smear it on. So if there’s something you don’t like about the finish, DON’T WAIT. Remove the mortar as soon as possible.
Here are some supplies you’ll probably need for trying to remove your German Smear gone bad. Only attempt this with small areas.
- Stiff wire brushes
- Stiff putty knife
- Heavy-duty rubber gloves
- Safety glasses
- Buckets with water
- Muriatic acid (USE WITH CAUTION!)
- Large sponges
Removing the Mortar
So if the mortar has dried but you don’t like the way it looks, here are some things you can do.
Using the wire brush and some water, scrape the discolored mortar from the brick. Muriatic acid can help remove thin area of mortar, but it is a dangerous chemical and should be used with caution!
ALWAYS follow all the safety procedures on the container regarding mixing it with water and applying it to the brick. Plus, don’t forget to wear proper personal protective gear and protect finished surfaces around where you’ll be working.
Once you’ve removed the mortar, identify what the problem was. If it was discoloration, you may need to seal the wall first like we mentioned above.
If it’s the finish you didn’t like, then you may need to practice with your technique until you get the desired result.
Adding More Mortar
If the existing mortar experienced discoloration, you can try sealing the wall and then applying another coat of mortar.
If you don’t like the inconsistent finish, you can try adding mortar to even it out. Just be sure to use the same exact type of mortar as you used before.
Avoid German Smear Gone Bad - Hire the Pros
Remember, with something so permanent as a German Smear finish, it’s best to do it right the first time.
That’s why most homeowners end up hiring professional masons with experience doing German smear.
If you’re in the Dallas, Texas area, contact us at A&X Masonry. We’re German Smear experts and can give you a FREE quote so you know exactly what you’re getting into.
