Jeff Somers is a freelancer who has been writing about writing, books, personal finance, and home maintenance since 2012. When not writing, Jeff spends his free time fixing up his old house. He has ...

Q: I have a brick wall around my patio and I’m noticing the bricks are starting to fall apart. At first there was a white powder on the face of the bricks and then the bricks started to flake apart.

I hear from many readers who have moved into a loft or otherwise transformed space and are puzzled by what to do with solid brick interior walls. These walls convey an aged, rustic style that can feel ...