Mexican Adobe brick is extremely popular in our North Texas – DFW market. The brick is sun dried, not fired in a kiln. This makes the clay brittle and erode after years of weather. Mexican Adobe brick is quite absorbent, and is highly susceptible to erosion and deterioration, especially in areas of high exposure to runoff such as the lower half of a brick wall not protected by roof overhang, or brick that is exposed to erosion by sprinklers.
Adobe brick used on exposed chimneys and brick mailboxes are also candidates for erosion.

What can a homeowner do to make adobe brick wear longer?
Attention to the brick and timely maintenance can help keep water out of porous mortar and allow for the maximum runoff from the wall surface. On chimneys the crown is critical to keep water running off and not through the chimney brick. We discuss chimney crowns in detail here.
While the adobe brick and mortar is in great shape, is an opportune time to seal the brick to keep moisture out. We discuss sealing brick here.
CAVEAT: Adobe brick, in fact, even fired brick and mortar must be in good condition to be well-served by proper sealing. No sealer will cover gaps or fissures or cracks. Quality brick and mortar repair is needed before successful sealing.
You also might want to check out our general reference on brick and mortar repair for added information.
Feel free to contact us if you have questions or concerns about Mexican adobe brick. We can help.

