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The white stains you see on your bricks are likely efflorescence, which is salt and lime buildup. To remove efflorescence stains, simply brush them away with a stiff brush. For larger, more stubborn stains, scrub the stains with a water-detergent solution.

Spraying is much faster but may not penetrate the bricks beyond a surface layer. Rolling penetrates the bricks but doesn’t work as well on the mortar. A combination of painting and rolling is your best bet. Using a brush to paint brick isn’t advised because it is time-consuming and won’t penetrate beyond the surface.

Yes, concrete is significantly stronger than masonry, especially if the concrete pour includes reinforcements, like steel rebar. Concrete is a uniform material that can withstand compression, sheer force, and tensile force as long as it’s reinforced. Masonry involves the use of mortar or grout to connect individual building materials, like brick, stone, or tile. Mortar and grout are also reasonably strong and resist compression well, but they don’t come close to the strength of poured concrete.

Minor hairline cracks in mortar are normal over time. This is a natural occurrence as bricks settle. You should worry about cracks in brick if you see vertical cracks that widen as they move up, stair-step cracks, L-shaped cracks, or deep horizontal cracks. These are all more serious signs of foundation damage.