How to Brick Veneer a Fireplace | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House mason Mark McCullough replaces a homeowner’s sloppy fireplace surround with a clean, thin brick veneer #ThisOldHouse #AskTOH SUBSCRIBE to This Old House: http://bit.ly/SubscribeThisOldHouse Time: 4-5 hours Cost: $400 Skill Level: Difficult Tools List for Brick Veneer: [YT] Safety glasses [https://amzn.to/35zUZ8k] Chisel [https://amzn.to/2pj15JD] Hammer [https://amzn.to/31ozqo8] Brick ruler [https://amzn.to/31ghgoj] Trowel [https://amzn.to/32lpRaO] Level [https://amzn.to/31e3oLb] Tuck pointer [https://amzn.to/2MlyxZf] Masonry brush [https://amzn.to/2MgRnjS] Shopping List: [YT] Thin brick [https://amzn.to/33CG77A] Painters tape [https://amzn.to/2MiQWG4] Thinset [https://amzn.to/2nOpYwt] Type N mortar [https://amzn.to/2q9tuCf] Steps: 1. Start by removing the old veneer. Take a chisel and a hammer and try to cut the thin stones until you can get the chisel behind it. Then, use the chisel and hammer to pry it off from behind. This process sends chips of stone flying, so wear safety glasses to protect your eyes. 2. Template for the new thin brick. Mark used a brick ruler to get the spacing just right and also save time, but it’s possible to also eyeball it as long as you mark each individual thin brick. Painter’s tape can be used to mark each spot. 3. Apply the thin bricks with a thinset, same as with tiling, and a trowel. Check for level every few bricks. 4. Fill in the joints with Type N mortar and a tuck pointer. 5. Brush off any excess mortar using the masonry brush. Resources: Mark installed General Shale French Quarter thin brick [https://amzn.to/2MhYJnd] as a veneer over the old fireplace. He ordered both flat and corner thin bricks to make sure the fireplace opening looked fully covered. He secured the veneer to the wall using Quikrete Type N mortar [https://amzn.to/2oMjy1b]. To template the brick placement, Mark used a brick ruler, which can be found at masonry supply stores. The materials Mark used to install the thin brick, including tuck pointers, trowels, and painter’s tape can all be found at home centers. Expert assistance with this segment was provided by the Spaulding Brick Company (https://ift.tt/2PdhdY2). About Ask This Old House TV: Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook. Follow This Old House and Ask This Old House: Facebook: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseFB Twitter: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTwitter http://bit.ly/AskTOHTwitter Pinterest: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHousePinterest Instagram: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseIG Tumblr: http://bit.ly/ThisOldHouseTumblr Keywords: Ask This Old House, Mark McCullough, fireplace, brick, veneer, masonry Watch the full episode: https://ift.tt/2Buxv6Q How to Brick Veneer a Fireplace https://www.youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse/