Parapet Wall - Coping / Repointing

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Abyone

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Hi,
I have a parapet wall which never had any coping on it.
It has been leaking and now leaking into room below over the windows.
I plan to install some metal coping over a plywood base.

It seems there was a DPC installed under the top layer of bricks ( the vertical bricks in the photo).
Not sure how well it was installed as water must be getting by it now.
In the photos you can see I placed a layer of DPC above the bricks as a temporary solution due to recent heavy rain.
The bricks in the corner of the wall have all moved slightly, and a few of the mortar joints are a bit cracked but in general the mortar is ok below the top layer.

Couple of questions
Should I repoint the top layer of bricks before I do anything else.
If I go with the ply / metal coping should I install any waterproof layer or EPDM under or over the ply in addition to the metal ?

Any other suggestions ?

Thanks
 

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That's a lot of exposed brickwork between the parapet and window head.
Is there a tray over the window ?
 
datarebal said:
That's a lot of exposed brickwork between the parapet and window head.
Is there a tray over the window ?
Click to expand...
There is a tray.

I plan to seal the brick wall with something like climashield masonry protection cream.
 
How do you know there is a cavity tray? There are no weep holes.

The capping bricks need relaying, and while you are at it you can check the condition of that DPC, as there would not normally be any water getting past it from the capping.

It is likely that those monster joints, and the poor state of the pointing is the problem or a contributary one, and you'll need to check that whatever water repellent solution you intend to use does in fact work with mortar with relatively large cervices as most do not.
 
I know there is a tray because I can see one and you can see the weep holes in the photo.

When you say relaying, do you mean taking the top layer off completely and putting same bricks back on. Those bricks aren't available anymore to buy new. How big of a job is that versus just repointing

When you say large crevices what are you referring to ? Apart from the top layer are you seeing other issues ?
 
Weirdest looking weepholes I've ever seen, I've only ever seen weep holes at the perps (they fit into the perps) and never so many, look more like old wall plugs, perhaps they're a bit of a hash up by the original builder. What do the other openings at the property have?
 
freddiemercurystwin said:
Weirdest looking weepholes I've ever seen, I've only ever seen weep holes at the perps (they fit into the perps) and never so many, look more like old wall plugs, perhaps they're a bit of a hash up by the original builder. What do the other openings at the property have?
Click to expand...
Yes they were a bit of a hash up alright.
No other openings to compare to because rest of house is rendered.

But back to parapet wall and my plan of action, anything to say on that.
 
Abyone said:
weep holes are visible though if you look.
Click to expand...
Cracked phone screen didn't show up weeps .
Looks like someone has put mastic along the joint between window and brickwork and obviously covering any tray or lintel that is there . The weep holes are slightly up a bit . Any water will probably run sideways before it gets to run out .
 
The weep holes aren't the problem though. The water is coming down from above and all of it doesn't go into the tray.
 
Why not try scraping some of the stones away at the corner and then lifting the lead to have a look at the roof felt(?). It looks like there's maybe felt going up the parapet a little behind the lead cover flashing?
Whatever it is there's a split showing. If its loose pull it back and have a look behind and below it, if its stuck then leave it alone.
 
The roof itself is fine.
I've done lots of tests with water, flooded the complete flat roof and all good.
As soon as I put a hose on the top of the wall within minutes it's dropping in.
 
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