My husband went to see a home and the kitchen has brick walls and in the photos it looks almost fake, but he said it was all real. Why does it look kind of "perfect"? I prefer a more distressed look, or just painted another color. Any ideas on why it looks the way it does and what I could do with it? Thank you!

 

I suspect it is thin brick installed in the same manner as tile. Do you have a pic showing the corner? where the shelves are

 

Yup here is another picture of a "corner"



What would that mean if it's a "thin" brick? Is it easily removed/painted over?

 

It's probably paintable. While not impossible, it would be odd for a house to have a brick interior wall. It would need support that goes down to footer. Is there a basement underneath that wall? crawlspace? or is the house on a slab?

 

They said that the kitchen was added on after so that's why there is brick - but yes there is a basement. Hopefully I can do something with it, as I definitely like a more distressed look!

 

That's almost certainly a veneer. I've never seen actual construction bricks look like that, you could probably rip it off.

 

That would actually be awesome if that were the case, and then just put up some drywall instead!! Hoping it'll be like that

 

There is no way for us to tell from just a picture. I would assume its real brick until proven otherwise. There is a doorway behind... to the right of the fridge. Is there a steel lintel there? And if there is a basement below, there would be a masonry wall directly below the brick ones if it is real brick.

 

Can you shoot another picture of the corner behind the microwave ? That would show the thickness of the brick. That certainly looks like real brick.

 

Take off the outlet covers.

 

I'm unfortunately not at the home and took the pictures from what we had but my husband claims it felt like real brick. If this IS real brick, I'd like to know if anyone has experience with either painting it, or putting up drywall? We are really bad with DIY and home improvement because we have rented all our lives!

 

Plasterers know how to make plaster or stucco look like brick. This could be that. As suggested above look at an outlet. Google "cut brick" and plaster. There is probably a YouTube video about how it was done. I am looking at a wall done by my dad about forty years ago. I think you might describe it as too perfect. If someone will remind me how I can send a picture. If it is this kind of work I would not tear it off for what I would get for putting it on but if it is this kind of work I could tell you how to take it off or how to distress it.

 

Here's a link for picture posting. http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html

 

Real brick can be painted. Basically you just prime it and top coat it like you would drywall - you just need a heavier nap roller cover. While not crazy about painting maintenance free brick, I've painted miles of it. Drywalling over it is more involved as you'd need to fur out the wall with wood to attach the drywall to.

 

I know you don't like it and it's all personal preference, but am I the only one who likes this? It would be shame to paint over this. And the best part is that it's maintenance free.

 

real brick or notcouldn't you just plaster it and then paint it? The brick will work as a lath.

FYI here's the reason I thought it was a veneer. This is my grill.


http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-x4...o/IMG_0108.JPG

Those bricks above the lintel are not structural. They're about 1/2" thick. Even though the edge of the grill shows the width of the brick, it just an illusion. The outsides have the same 1/2" bricks covering a concrete wall.

 

Real brick or what I described earlier it could be plastered and made smooth as glass or textured to suit you. While real plaster is not amateur friendly drywall joint compound is more so. It would take several coats but ic certainly diy possible. Use setting mud the first few times, mix it up spreading it on with firm pressure to get it worked into the joints and brick, do it again and again and probably again. It is not as bad as it might seem. A last coat or two of softer, drying mud from a box or bucket will be easier to sand, the worst part, then paint or texture then paint. I really like ths wall. Remember, paint of plaster either one is permanent. You or a future owner can not restore this. If you paint it will still look like painted brick. If you plaster it it will look like the rest of your plaster or drywall walls.