An exposed brick wall in your home can add character and drama to any room. The only problem is that not all buildings are built of brick. In fact, brick is rarely used in housing construction, at least in the United States and Canada.
Creating a faux brick wall in your home is the perfect solution if you want to improve your room.
By Bud Dietrich, AIA New Port Richey – See more Home Design Photos
CREATE a FAUX BRICK WALL USING BRICK VENEER
Brick veneer is for sure the best material for this kind of job.
– Brick veneer is a thin brick with a thickness between ½-inch and 1-inch.
– Brick veneer is a lightweight product; therefore, it can be easily applied to any wall, without any underneath support.
– Brick veneer saves a lot of space; it is much thinner than regular brick.
– Brick veneer can be used in many projects such as public spaces (nightclubs and restaurants) or in private residences.
– Brick veneer can be used both outside and inside of your home on many different applications such as walls, columns, fireplaces, arches, etc.
Brick veneer comes in a wide range of textures, colours and sizes. Many types of brick veneer look very realistic. It is hard to distinguish them from traditional brick. Others types have a rustic look.
However, installation differs greatly between outdoor brick veneer and interior brick veneer.
Outside installation is different from inside installation. The brick veneer does not need an underneath support, they are installed as a completely freestanding wall that it is anchored to the house through anchors (brick ties). Because it is a freestanding wall, you need a foundation to support their weight.
Inside installation is quite similar with tile installation and it is simple to do if you have basic carpentry skills.
A mortar bed is spread on the room wall and the brick veneer is set on top of the mortar using plastic spacers to separate the bricks. Allow time to dry and the next step is to grout your brick surface.
BRICK-IT – PANEL SYSTEM
Brink-It is perhaps, the largest distributor of thin brick veneer in the United States.
Brick-It Patented Paneling System is a complete panel system that combines the elegance and charm of a traditional brick look with the 21st century technology.
It consists of metal panels with ledges. These ledges hold each brick veneer row in place while leaving enough space for mortar. You can screw the metal panels to the wall studs and even you can bend them around the corners. Next step is to glue the bricks in place using a caulking gun and adhesive.
The cost is somewhere between $7 and $10/ square foot, including brick veneer, panels, adhesive and even grout.
