Installing brick veneer around a fireplace

Nothing adds a more charming look to a fireplace than brick. And installing brick veneer around a fireplace will give the fireplace area that warm, homey feel.

When you don’t want to add actual brick or rebuild the fireplace, brick veneer is your choice at a fraction of the cost of the real thing. Brick veneer – smaller, thinner tiles that are made to mimic real brick, provide you with everything you need to get the job done.

To get you pointed in the right direction, here’s your step-by-step guide to installing brick veneer around a fireplace:

Step 1

Make sure the wall surrounding the fireplace is even and sturdy. Next, remove the mantels and all of the paneling from the wall.

Step 2

Using a tape measure and pencil, mark your spots along the wall every 2 5/8 inches for one row or 5 1/4 inches for every two rows.

Step 3

Taking a trowel, spread thinset on 4-foot to 6-foot sections of the wall. Working within these measurements will help ensure that the thinset doesn’t dry before you start to apply the veneer. After you apply thinset, firmly press the veneer into place. Make sure you use spacers between the brick veneer to keep them evenly spaced.

Step 4

If you’re working with a large fireplace area, make sure to cut edge pieces with a tile cutter or a wet saw. The wet saw will speed the cutting process.

Step 5

Repeat the process – using spacers, add bricks to finish the courses until the fireplace wall is covered. Let stand overnight.

Step 6

Using the pointed trowel, apply grout between the veneers. This will force the grout between the tiles and reduce the amount of grout to clean off the face of each brick.

Step 7

Clean off all grout from the bricks.

• Thinset adhesive
• Notch trowel
• Wet tile saw
• Sanded tile grout
• Sponge