It does not require the skills of a stonemason or brick mason to seal masonry.
Results of un-sealed masonry
Efflorescence: Brick and masonry will have a whitish stain on its surface. This is the result of salts from the brick itself accumulating. What happens is that the water inside the brick dissolves the natural salts that are present as a result of the brick's manufacturing process. Salts remain on the surface after the water evaporates into the air.
Spalling: This is defined as the flaking of masonry or brick. The brick expands when water penetrates and freezes. The expansion results in scaling and breakage of the brick.
Sealing your masonry
Choose a sealer wisely to seal your masonry. A "surface" sealer can prevent the escape of water vapor from building's interior, and thus may actually result in spalling.
If you want to waterproof and seal bricks or other masonry substrate, the best way is with a penetrating siloxane-based sealer. Siloxane penetrates the substrate of the masonry and bonds to it chemically. Water cannot penetrate because it fills in the holes. Siloxanes can breath, which is a huge advantage. Spalling can be prevented by water vapor running out of the interior.
Siloxanes are great because they do not alter the original color of the surface. They are transparent and do not leave a shine. Because siloxanes do not lie on the surface, but penetrate into the masonry, the existing surface texture remains unchanged. The masonry is shielded from the environment since the product penetrates into the substrate. They'll be durable, and will provide years of zero-maintenance service.
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