Exposed Brick Wall Ideas – Exposed brick walls are more than just a popular trend. When done correctly, exposed brick walls can add a timeless and visually interesting detail to your home. With the right preparation, maintenance, and designer skills, you can create your own exposed brick wall. Embrace the exposed brick trend and give your home a designer feel with DIY tips and style inspiration for brick accent walls.
If you’ve recently discovered a brick wall behind drywall or stucco, you’ve discovered an interior design treasure. An exposed brick wall is a popular detail that has all the components of a timeless style, so it’s likely to be here to stay. Follow the right DIY guidelines to give your home a stylish look. You will need some tools and products that can be easily found at your local home improvement store.
Exposed Brick Wall Ideas
If your bricks are behind plaster or drywall, you will need to do some demolition work to begin the process. Use a hammer and chisel to break down the sheathing wall to begin exposing your cracks. Take your time and use caution when moving along the wall. Try laying a tarp or plastic sheet on the floor against the wall to catch debris and make cleanup a breeze.
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Once your brick is exposed and the wall demolition debris is cleared, you can begin cleaning and preparing your walls. Use a wire brush to make sure any remaining small debris is removed. You can also use a tack cloth to remove dust. Afterwards, you can clean the bricks with a mild detergent and wipe the surface with a damp cloth or sponge.
Sealing the brick is one of the most important steps when trying to expose a brick wall. Since brick is very absorbent, you’ll want to make sure you complete this step before applying any paint. One or two coats of masonry sealant should seal exposed brick walls. Make sure you allow enough time to completely dry and seal before starting the painting process.
When it comes time to paint an exposed brick wall, carefully consider the type of paint you choose. Always use a latex primer before applying any colored paint to ensure the paint sticks to the wall and prevents peeling. When you’re ready to paint, acrylic latex paint works well with properly sealed and primed brick. You can also use masonry or stucco paint, which is usually self-priming so you can skip the priming step entirely. Paint the brick with a special masonry and stucco paint brush, or use a nylon-bristle brush available at most home improvement stores.
A popular look for interior and exterior walls is the limewash look. You can easily achieve this modern, rustic look using limewash designed for masonry. Because this application requires your brick to still be porous, you’ll want to skip sealing and priming the brick. Instead, make sure your bricks are fully saturated with water after cleaning them properly. After that, use a natural bristle brush to mix the limewash with water. In most cases, expect to apply two coats. As soon as you start to see dark spots forming on the wall, rinse off the limewater. Rinse lightly for an opaque look, rinse heavily for a more rustic look. If you want the surface of your limewash to be less chalky, you can purchase a matte limewash sealer to add a subtle shine.
Ways To Update An Exposed Brick Wall
While exposed brick is timeless as an application, the paint color you choose may depend heavily on popular colors. While black and pure white are classic brick paint choices, there are some colors that have recently caught the attention of designers and homeowners. Cream and oatmeal colors are popular in kitchens and outdoors. Slate blue and dark gray are cool color options that will remain popular for some time. One of the most popular brick color predictions among designers is green. Dark colors, forest greens, and warm olive greens are popular colors in a variety of design styles and will add a rich, modern feel to your exposed brick walls.
While exposed brick walls often have enough visual appeal to stand on their own, you can still add wall art or shelves to personalize the space. Use brick clips (also called brick racks or siding clips) to hang lightweight art from bricks. Brick clamps have special teeth that secure them to the edge of the brick and hold the artwork in place. Installation is very simple and does not require drilling holes in the bricks or mortar.
For heavy items like shelves, you’ll follow a slightly more detailed process using specific tools. Don’t worry, anyone can do this! The process is similar to drilling holes in drywall, only slightly different using tools available at any home improvement store. All you need is a drill bit, a masonry bit, and anchor screws or concrete anchors depending on the weight of your shelves.
For lightweight items, you can use basic anchor screws. For heavier shelves and other hanging items, you may need concrete anchors with corresponding bolt and socket sets. Using a masonry drill bit, you can penetrate the mortar or the brick itself, depending on where your screws need to be in the wall. Of course, mortar will be easier to drill in, while brick will take longer. The key is to take your time. You may find it safer to hang heavy items directly over bricks rather than mortar, just make sure the bricks are in good condition and don’t have cracks or chips. Drilling into damaged brick will only cause further problems. Once the screws or anchors are installed correctly, you can hang shelves or art just like any other wall.
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Exposed brick began as a rustic yet modern industrial design trend that gained popularity with the rise of farmhouse style in the 2010s. This trend can now be seen as a detail in countless design styles and has a somewhat timeless look. Because exposed brick, whether painted or bare, provides textural interest and references a classic design material, it has lasting power as other design trends change. There’s no need to worry about exposed brick going out of style with your interior decor. With regular maintenance and adjustments, you’ll find that exposed brick always seems to fit in with your decor and adds visual interest to any room in your home.
Although exposed brick is becoming a classic design feature that pairs well with almost any design style, certain styles will naturally be enhanced by this visually interesting application.
While exposed brick can come in many styles and is a DIY that anyone can do, sometimes you may want to avoid the task, call a professional, or simply go for Plan B. When making your design choices, keep these key points in mind and try to determine if exposed brick is right for your home.
In most cases, exposed brick is great for homeowners, DIY professionals, and designers. That said, there are some rules you should be aware of to make sure your exposed brick plan works to your advantage.
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While you can definitely expose, seal, and paint your own brick, there are times when you may want to call in a professional. A general contractor or professional painter can help you with your exposed brick project and make sure all the appropriate steps are taken to get the job done right. If your brick wall needs extensive repairs or replacement, you’ll certainly want to call in a professional. You may also consider hiring a professional to hang heavy art or shelving units that require expensive power tools, such as a hammer drill.
While nothing can perfectly imitate the textural beauty of exposed brick, there is one option that comes very close, and designers often rely on it. Heavy-duty wallpaper with brick patterns and raised textures can be applied to almost any wall to mimic the look of exposed brick. This option is especially effective in a kitchen or food preparation area because it is easy to clean and is not as absorbent as natural brick. If you’re looking for a cost-effective and easy way to achieve an exposed brick look without all the maintenance and commitment, brick wallpaper could be the perfect alternative for your home.
Versatile, classic and full of character, exposed brick can take your home design to a whole new level. Following a few guidelines and choosing style options that perfectly match the mood of your home will give you an exposed brick detail that all your friends will gush over during their visit. Exposed brick can be a design commitment that, in retrospect, was one of the best decisions you ever made for your home.