ARB staff warns against using caulk and foam for painted brick repairs; building department involved

Decatur Architectural Review Board staff warned the board on June 12 that a recent repair job used caulk and expanding foam to fill mortar joints on a painted brick porch, a technique staff said is inappropriate for masonry and could cause spalling.

Staff described seeing multiple empty tubes of caulk and cans of expanding foam on site and said the work covered almost all mortar joints on one side of the porch. "Caulk and foam are not appropriate for masonry repairs," staff said, explaining that waterproof fillers can trap moisture in painted brick and force moisture to exit elsewhere, increasing the risk that brick will break off.

Staff said paint and moisture movement complicate repair: painted brick limits normal evaporation and impervious fillers worsen pressure behind the masonry surface, potentially creating structural problems where mortar is missing. Because mortar is a structural component of a wall, staff said the work overlaps with building‑department responsibilities and that building officials have begun involvement.

Staff said they have urged the homeowner to remove the caulk and consult a masonry specialist to repoint the joints as needed. The transcript records staff guidance and education to the homeowner rather than a formal enforcement motion; the building department and code compliance will continue coordinating with the homeowner.

Next steps: staff recommended pulling out inappropriate caulk and bringing in a qualified mason to repoint mortar joints; building department follow‑up and potential repairs are expected, but no timetable or enforcement outcome was recorded in the meeting transcript.