How To Install Thin Brick On Fireplace

It can be intimidating to install thin brick accent wall. Others may lead towards tile or pigment instead because the thought of installing brick seems too daunting, merely alas I am hither to tell you lot that the installation of brick is non as hard equally ane might call up.

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There are several different types of brick, only the brick I am talking about is thin brick which is i/2″ thick brick pieces.

Where to Purchase Sparse Brick

Where tin you purchase thin brick or brick veneer is sold at home comeback stores like Home Depot or Lowes. Nigh have to be special ordered or order online, merely another pick would be to visit a local brick store or society online from a brick fabricator. Old Mill Brick is an online brick distributer that sells not only individual bricks, but bricks on a fiberglass sail called BrickWebb.

What brick did y'all employ?

I used McNear thin brick in the color Embarcadero on my fireplace, and Erstwhile Mill Brick's Cafe Mocha on my basement arch and kitchen. The Corner pieces are sold based on the linear foot and so just mensurate the meridian of the wall and that's how many feet yous need. The flat pavers are sold by the foursquare foot so measure the length and peak in anxiety and multiply.

All the options McNear Thin Brick comes in.

Materials Needed:

Brick
Brick on Webb
Corner Brick
Corner Brick on Webb
Tile Adhesive x1 bucket
Loctite Power Grip
Narrow Notched Trowel x1
Mortar
or Pre-mixed mortar
Tile Cutter
Optional: Moisture saw
Spacer Options (choose 1)
Bender Board
Tile Spacer
Wood Dowel
Rope

Install Sparse Brick

To install thin brick in that location'southward are the steps:

Measure out the spacing of the bricks past laying them out against the wall to make sure the pieces will all fit without a pocket-sized sliver piece on the end. If necessary showtime with a 1/2 size brick and alternate so the seams see in the middle of the brick beneath and above information technology.
Employ thinset with the notched trowel creating a line pattern on the back of the brick. Having the lines on the dorsum side helps forestall air bubbles and ensures you are applying the aforementioned amount to each brick.
Start applying the bricks on a level surface (if needed install a temporary straight edge with some scrap trim/woods).
Push the brick into identify, apply acrylic thinset to the adjacent brick, use a spacer to ensure equal spacing between bricks and apply the 2nd brick, if you are using the brickwebb sheets the spacing is done for y'all, and the fiberwebb helps concord the bricks in place eliminating the demand for a spacer. If there are single bricks that are sliding utilize some loctite power grip to help hold it in identify.
Follow this process for the entire row.
Identify a spacer above the row and beginning your second row alternating the seams so if you started with 1/2 a brick start with a full brick for this row.
Allow the thinset to completely dry before removing spacers and applying grout.

Cut bricks

The simplest way as well cut a brick is with a manual tile cutter. Mark the brick where it needs to be cut. Line the mark up with the scoring bract on the tile cutter. Press firmly as you score the brick with the blade. Then press the flat office against the brick and information technology should snap on the line you scored.

This method is keen for straight cuts, but if the amount you are cutting is less than 1″ the manual saw sometimes has a hard time scoring and snapping correctly, but whatsoever cuts larger than this it works like a charm.

Use a moisture saw to cutting the bricks along the line. If you don't take a wet saw yous can mark these bricks and take them into Dwelling Depot where they tin can cut them for yous for free!

Cutting Angle Cuts

The easiest technique I have constitute to cut corners or angles is to create a template brick out of paper.

Trace brick on a piece of bit paper
Cutting out the paper rectangle
Position onto the wall in the space the brick will go (including where your spacer would sit down).
Fold the newspaper along the angle.
Take the folded newspaper and trace information technology onto the brick
Cut the brick on the line (with a wet saw).

Grouting

Once all the bricks are dried its time to grout. To mix upwardly the grout add less than 1″ of water into a 5 gallon bucket. Slowly add the powdered mortar into the bucket and utilise a power drill and this grout mixing paddle to stir the mixture until its a thick pancake like consistency. As well runny will make a mess everywhere and too thick will non clasp out of the grout handbag. Once the mixture is at the correct consistency scoop information technology into the grout bag making sure to kink off the tip.

At present you are going to utilize the grout onto the bricks similar icing a cake in the seams. Apply generously then it sticked out further than the brick. Permit for information technology to dry for 10-15 minutes before taking the cease of a paint brush (or your finger in gloves) to squish the grout in between the bricks equally well as knock off any access. You should accept your space taped off and a drop fabric downwards considering this process is EXTREMELY messy. Word of warning. don't apply your blank fingers to press the grout in or your fingers will be raw! If needed, employ more than grout to the spots that are too depression or chipping. To create a lighter shade you can besides use a sponge and wipe some of the grout onto the bricks to create a smeared effect.

Sealing

Depending on where you are putting your brick accent wall, you might need to seal the brick and mortar. These materials are very porous and easily can be stained.

Finishing

There are a few different things you tin can do to terminate off your brick look. One would exist stopping, and enjoying the natural looking brick you lot just installed. Two would be a low-cal white wash using a pre-made white wash stain, or white paint diluted with water. Third, employ the grout in a way that information technology creates a German Schemer look. This is done with a grout trowel and sponge. Fourth, pigment your brick with masonry approved paint. An all white or all black brick wall looks elegant and timeless just like natural colored brick.

Exist certain to annotate beneath with any questions on how to install thin brick, and follow along on instagram @honeybuilthome for more home DIY projects and tips.