Installing Interior Brick Walls

Lead Image for Installing Interior Brick Walls

Having a brick wall texture in the interior of your home immediately conveys a down home, earthy feel to any room. For those looking to acheive this look, there are two very different ways to do so. Option 1 is to take a hammer and bust out your wall of choice, exposing a (hopefully) perfectly preserved, hidden brick wall...or you can use simple brick veneers, which can give you all the charm of a brick-walled home, with half the installation and manual labor.

Preparation Tips
Check surface adhesion levels with a paint test. Firmly stick a piece of masking tape onto the portion of the wall you intend to remodel. Pull it off and check to make sure that the paint does not adhere to the surface of the tape. This ensures that the wall will take to the adhesive properly. Also perform a moisture test--tape a piece of plastic over an area of the wall and check back in 24 hours. If there is any moisture accumulated on the plastic, apply a new base coating of sheetrock to your designated wall area to reduce slippage issues. Finally, just before installation, clean the surface thoroughly and allow area to dry before veneer application.
Choose Your Design Before Layout
Complete design layout before installation, taking into consideration any adjustments and spacing issues that may have to be accomodated when laying the veneers. Installing brick veneers can be a tedious project when not adequately prepared for beforehand. Minimize this with careful planning and detailed design consideration.
Cut Half Bricks First
If your specific design calls for half bricks to be used in order to frame existing windows or as a decorative trim, etc.--cut the required amount of veneer pieces in half using a sharpened tile cutter and set these to the side to be used for later. This saves time and gives a clearer picture of what the finished design will look like.
Apply Adhesive In Sections
Apply an even layer of adhesive made specifically for brick veneer starting from the top and working your way to the bottom. Complete a small area of no more than two by four feet to make sure the adhesive doesn't dry out before you lay out the veneer.
How to Properly Lay Brick Veneers
Mark a straight line across the wall to begin laying the bricks. The construction adhesive will remain adjustable for at least 15 to 20 min, in case you need to make any adjustments. Beginning at the top of the wall, press each brick into the wet adhesive, using the line you marked to keep them straight. Leave a small space (3/8 of an inch at the most) between each brick on all four sides and fill the gaps in with mortar or a similar filler to acheive a more natural look.
Seal Bricks for Endurance
To preserve finish and improve quality, coat the entire wall of brick veneers with a sealer of some sort. Use a quality sealer that will best suit your needs and will protect the veneers from everyday wear and tear.Having a

Having a brick wall texture in the interior of your home immediately conveys a down home, earthy feel to any room. For those aiming to achieve this look, there are two very different ways to do so. Option 1 is to take a hammer and bust out your wall of choice, exposing a (hopefully) perfectly preserved, hidden brick layer. Option 2 involves simple brick veneers, which can give you all the charm of a brick-walled home, with half the manual labor and minimum guesswork.

Preparation Tips

Check surface adhesion levels with a paint test. Firmly stick a piece of masking tape onto the portion of the wall you intend to remodel. Pull it off sharply and check to make sure that the paint does come off onto the surface of the tape. This lets you know whether the wall will take to the adhesive properly. Also perform a moisture test - tape a piece of plastic over an area of the wall and check back in 24 hours. If there is any moisture accumulated on the plastic, apply a new base coating of sheetrock to your designated wall area to reduce slippage issues. A clean surface is also crucial for proper adhesion - wash wall thoroughly and allow to completely dry before applying brick veneers.

Choose Your Design Before Layout

Complete design layout before installation, taking into consideration any adjustments and spacing issues that may have to be accommodated when laying the veneers. Installing brick veneers can be a tedious project when not adequately prepared for beforehand. Minimize this with careful planning and detailed design consideration.

Cut Half Bricks First

If your specific design calls for half bricks to be used in order to frame existing windows or as a decorative trim, cut the required amount of veneer pieces in half using a sharpened tile cutter and set these to the side to be used for later. This saves time and gives a clearer picture of what the finished design will look like.

Apply Adhesive In Sections

Apply an even layer of adhesive made specifically for brick veneer starting from the top and working your way to the bottom. Complete a small area of no more than two by four feet to make sure the adhesive doesn't dry out before you lay out the veneer.

How to Properly Lay Brick Veneers

Mark a straight line across the wall before you start to be sure you are laying the veneers correctly. Keep in mind that the construction adhesive will only remain adjustable for 15 to 20 min, so make any adjustments before moving on to the next section. Beginning at the top of the wall, press each brick into the wet adhesive, using the line you marked to keep them straight. Leave a small space (3/8 of an inch at the most) between each brick on all four sides, afterwards filling each gap in with either mortar or a similar filler to achieve a more natural look.

Seal Bricks for Endurance

To preserve the finish and improve quality, coat the entire wall of brick veneers with a sealer of some sort after installation. Use a quality sealer that will best suit your needs and style preference as well as protecting your brick veneers from everyday wear and tear.