We have all seen movies like Ghost with fabulous loft apartments or converted industrial building and admired the cool natural brickwork. Originally you were poor if you had exposed brick so it was covered with plaster if you had any money . Victorian made bricks revolutionised the building industry when it was transported on the new railways meaning houses did not need to be built from local stone. Exposed brickwork as a feature provides an excellent contrast against other fabrics and colours but needs a lot of work
This is a dark, lonely and dirty job but the results are worth it.. Here's my process
1. Seal room you are working in to prevent dust getting everywhere. I use plastic sheeting and gaffer tape. Have a window open so that the dust can escape
2. Protect the floor against possible falling plaster or brick that may damage your floor. I use old carpet doubled up to cushion the blow
3. Full PPE with face respirator,goggles,head covering , steel toecap safety boots and heavy duty gloves are all required with heavy duty builders buckets to remove the plaster .
4. Start with a lump hammer and chisel to start removing the plaster from the weakest area and when possible move to a smaller hammer and impact flat head screwdriver to carefully remove the plaster without damaging the brick
5. Use a wallpaper flexible scrapper to scrap any excess residue plaster attached to the brick using horizontal and vertical strokes to remove all possible plaster from the brick face
6. Wet the wall with a large brush and bucket of water to ensure the brick does not absorb your next product which is a chemical mortar and brick cleaner which will froth white as you agitate the cleaner into the brick face and do not be concerned if the chemical runs into the mortar as it will just clean it with the 4 parts water to 1 part chemical solution
7. Fully rinse the chemical cleaner off the brick with clean cold water to prevent any residue chemical staining
8. Allow to fully dry for 24 hours
9. Apply 2 coats of brick sealant that will enhance the natural brick colour and will stop the fine brick dust from being produced when there are particularly cold or hot temperatures in the room
10. Sit back on a chair and admire your handiwork !!
Below is the top section of a fire place and internal chimney stack with sealant applied and the bottom section cleaned ready for 2 coats of sealant
Full PPE
Close up of wall with top having been sealed and bottom section cleaned ready for sealant
Finished brickwork off set against surrounding walls that have been primed and undercoated
Those tiles will be fabulous when you have worked your magic