Replies

1. 
   Piffin | May 27, 2003 05:57am | #1

   clean with acid

   Seal with plaster

   seriously now, what are you trying to seal in or out?

   Does this chimney have flue liners?

   What do you use it for?

   .

   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   thc | May 27, 2003 03:42pm | #2

   i presume that it will be shedding brick and mortar dust for ever after unless i seal it with something. correct? so far, i have been cleaning mortar from the bricks with a wire brush, but i'm not sure if i'm abrading the surface of the bricks too much (it seems to be doing the trick). i also remember hearing something about using a kind of acid (what kind, i don't know) to clean bricks. i want to leave the bricks revealed, so sealing with plaster isn't really an option. it's a non-working chimney, so the brick is purely decorative

   thanks for the advice; any more would be much appreciated

1. 
   Piffin | May 28, 2003 05:22am | #3

   Washing with muriatic acid at about 10% is normal cleaning procedure, followed by a wet wash. This is a dangerously strong acid as it comes out of the bottle. You can blind your self with a splash or blister skin.

   Wear eye protection and use rubber gloves. Read the label.

   Scrub in with a brush.

   Rinse down wet.

   For inside an existing house though, if you have other finishes nearby, they could be stained or ruined. For instance, oak flooring would be turned black by the acid.

   Maybe try a weaker acid likje white vinegar to cut the plaster dust loose.

   For a strictly decorative sealer, use linseed oil. It will give you a nice glaze. It is used sometimes on hand thrown terrazo floor tile, non vitreous, as a sealer..

   Excellence is its own reward!