In some cases, having a room with exposed brick is a great way to add to the interior design of your home. However, if you don’t like the brickwork or you’re just looking for a change, you might be wondering, “can you put plaster over brick?” The short answer is: yes, you can!
Applying plaster directly to a brick wall is called “wet plastering,” and it is a common way to change the look of a room. This method of altering the walls of a home or building drastically changes the look and is easy to apply, as long as you work from top to bottom and take your time.
This process can be tedious, but the more care you put into evenly coating the bricks, the better the finished product will look. You will also need to pay attention to the thickness of the plaster so that you don’t put too much on, which will cause it to sag or crack as it dries.
Generally, about a 12mm-20mm thickness is best for plaster walls, with 15mm being the most common thickness. Although you don’t have to ensure the plaster is precisely this thick, having an idea of how thick it should be can help you make it even across the entire wall.
Should You Put Plaster Over Brick?
There are many reasons to consider putting plaster over a brick wall. One of the reasons is that it’s easier than trying to remove the brick or drill into it to apply drywall or methods for covering your walls.
Putting plaster over brick is an easy and quick way to change the appearance of a wall inside or outside your home. However, you’ll need to pay close attention to the condition of the wall. If your brick is old or crumbling, the plaster will only worsen the problem down the road.
Before you start to apply plaster over a brick wall in your home, be sure to clean the wall and look for any potential problem spots. If the bricks are in relatively good condition, it should be pretty easy to apply the plaster over the top. However, you’ll need to rethink your methods if there is significant damage to the wall.
Additionally, if there are only minor places that need some repairs, you can patch the brickwork before applying the browning to help even out the surface. It’s vital to apply a coat of the browning plaster before you proceed, even if the brick is in great condition.
What Tools Do You Need to Put Plaster Over Brick?
Before you can begin to plaster over a brick wall, you’ll need to get together a few supplies. A hawk is commonly used for applying plaster to walls because it makes it easy to carry the plaster and apply it to the wall. However, it’s not the only thing you’ll need.
You’ll need a large bucket to mix the plaster, a mixing stick or tool, and something to spread the plaster onto the wall. A plaster trowel is the best option because the size and shape are easy to manage. Load the trowel with a palette knife that’s around 4” in size. You can also use a hawk.
As mentioned above, the hawk is a common tool for plastering because it is easy to use and it holds the plaster to make the application smooth. However, window trowels and plaster trowels are also very useful, and they can get the job done if that is what you have on hand.
What Preparations Do You Need to Put Plaster Over Brick?
There are plenty of things you can do to prepare your space for plastering over a brick wall. The first thing you’ll want to do is to lay down some floor coverings, like a dropcloth or towels, to ensure you don’t get any plaster on the floor.
Next, using a wire brush, clean the surface of the brick thoroughly. Next, put on a coat of bonding or browning, which will fill in the pores of the bricks allowing the plaster to stick. Once the brick is thoroughly coated, and the surface is as clean and even as can be, the plaster is ready to go on!
Once your surface is ready, it’s time to mix the plaster and get it applied to the wall.
Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on December 3, 2022.
How to Put Plaster Over Brick
Before you begin, examine the wall thoroughly to ensure that the brick is in good enough condition to take a layer of plaster. You’ll want to watch out for crumbling bricks, large chunks missing, or significant chips in the bricks, which will create an uneven surface under the plaster. Then, thoroughly clean the wall, lay down your drop cloths, and apply the browning to the brick.
When you’re ready to start applying the plaster over the brick, start from the top and work your way down. Apply the plaster evenly to the bottom of a line of bricks and smooth it up over two or three bricks and repeat until the wall is covered. Once it’s covered, you can go back and smooth it out.
It’s vital that you don’t skip the process of cleaning the wall or applying the browning because any dirt left in the bricks can come off in the plaster and create problems. Additionally, the browning plaster needs to be able to stick into the pores of the bricks to create that smooth surface that makes plaster walls so appealing.
Once you’ve applied the plaster across the entire wall, it’s time to go back over it with the hawk and smooth out any problem areas. You may need to reapply a small amount if there are areas that look like the plaster’s too thin. The process of smoothing out a wall you’ve applied plaster to is called “screeding.”
To screed the wall, you’ll just need to take a straight edge across the entire wall. You can use a board or a long plank of wood. This takes off any excess plaster and creates a smooth finish.
Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on December 3, 2022.
Next, check the wall with a level. If needed, screed the wall again and repeat until it is smooth and level. After the last screed, carefully patch any areas of the wall that are looking thin. Screed a final time, which should be easier since the bottom layer of plaster will have dried out a bit. Finish the edges by taking the trowel and running it along the corners.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on December 3, 2022.