Exposed Interior Brick
Hi All, We are currently doing a gut reno (excuse the junk in the picture) and I am seeking advice on the best way to finish the exposed brick we will be including the the kitchen/dining room area. So far all I’ve done is given it a thorough going over with some steel wire brush…
Hi All,
We are currently doing a gut reno (excuse the junk in the picture) and I am seeking advice on the best way to finish the exposed brick we will be including the the kitchen/dining room area.
So far all I’ve done is given it a thorough going over with some steel wire brush and then a clean up with a stiff bristle brush and plenty of water. It looks good but wondering if there is anything more I can do (in termos of clean up) aside from more elbow grease.
Also wondering about sealing the brick with a polyurethane to help with heat loss and moisture. This is an exterior wall, double brick. I’ve heard that sealing the brick is bad for it as it needs to naturally breathe.
Any thoughts/experience welcome. Thanks in advance!
– SSG
While they’re not external walls, I used exposed some brick in my kitchen and sealed them with DryLok. That was nine years ago and there’s been no deterioration.
UGL DryLok Masonry is a latex based brick waterproofer and sealer made especially for applications like this and other similar masonry applications. The sealer MAY darken the brick somewhat but will still allow the brick to breath so will not trap moisture inside the brick. Cleans up with soap and water. There is no need to cover up the brick again. Think of all the many Brooklyn restaurants that have exposed brick. Do a test patch in your house and see for yourself.
http://www.oldlouisville.com/circa1900/brick-structures.htm
I should mention that the original plaster wall was on thin 1″ furring strips with wooden lath. The plaster was not applied directly to the brick. That’s why I don’t fully understand the moisture barrier 100% since the plaster was never “on” the brick.
brikenny: How/why would the original plaster wall affect the absorption of moisture through the brick? I imagine that over the last 85 years the elements have come and gone through the brick and mortar every year, only the plaster stopping them from entering the living space. I understand that you’re suggesting that the mousture flowing from inside to out will be my biggest enemy. If I did repoint the inside with less soluble mortar, what is the product you would use to thoroughly seal after repointing? Thanks.
And unfortunately the party walls are cinderblock so out of luck there.
We have an exposed brick exterior wall in our basement (which is only about 2 feet below grade). The prior owners removed the plaster from the interior side of the wall about 40 years ago. It does shed dust and grit, as other posters mentioned.
If we wanted to recoat the wall with plaster, would the plaster be applied directly to the brick? If so, do you have to use some sort of old fashioned plaster formulation? Or are you better off furring out the wall with 2x4s and then applying plaster on lathe or gypsum board?
Antique masonry homes hid the brick behind plaster for a reason, and it had nothing to do with aesthetics. Exposed brick is generally a bad idea in an older home unless all of the ancient lime-putty mortar is raked-out of the joints and replaced with a less water-soluble mortar, and then thoroughly sealed. The biggest enemy these old walls have is moisture, and with an exterior wall you are guaranteed to get condensation on brick. A sealant may make most of the water remain on the surface brick (and drip), but if left unsealed it will get into the wall and leech the lime out of the mortar, leaving you with sand between the bricks. As the moisture seeps through to the outer course of bricks it will freeze in the winter, causing the brick to crack. Have I scared you away from this plan yet? I hope so; because this will seriously destroy the structural integrity of your brick wall unless you put a hell of a lot of work and money into it now. In the future, leave the exposed brick to the interior party-walls where it can still suffer, but nowhere near as badly as it would happen here.
Good comments, thanks …. I do appreciate the downsides of leaving the brick exposed. Heat loss, draft, dust, etc. The brick is very charming though and really adds a lot to the house. I figure I’ll give it a winter to see just how bad it really is. An insulated wall can always be put up later.
Just wondering if anyone has used or knows of a product (synthetic or natural) that would help against the negative qualities mentioned above. The linseed oil sounds interesting. or has anyone ever used that “breathable sealer” product?
Thanks
A wall for all all and none.