Exposed brickwork
Space Solves
Exposed Brickwork
The Guardian, Saturday 3 July 2010
My living room has a white painted wall, but I’d dearly love exposed bricks instead. Do I just start ripping off the plaster in the hope I have nice bricks underneath? If so, how do I go about doing this?
“Take on-site professional advice first, but if your home is pre-1950s, there’s a good chance that brick was used,” says DIY expert Julian Cassell. “Post 1950, concrete block took over as the most common construction material for the inner leaf of cavity walls. A simple way to find out is to unscrew an electrical socket on the wall (turn the power off at the consumer unit first) and look inside to see what the mounting box is fixed on to. If you find brick, in older houses where the lime plaster has deteriorated, it may come off easily with a club hammer and bolster chisel. If it’s still well adhered, you’ll need to hire a chipping hammer (£31.56 for a weekend, from HSS Hire nationwide). The cleaned-down surface may require some localised mortar repair work, too, and will need sealing with PVA solution (one part PVA to five parts water).”
