How to Lay Brick Veneer

Brick veneer looks just like real brick.

Certain walls in a home, like the fireplace wall, call out to be covered with brick. Brick is warm and charming, adding interest to any wall. The difficulty with real brick is the weight. Bricks are heavy and cumbersome. Brick veneer looks and functions much like regular brick but is thinner and lighter than a full brick. Brick veneer comes in a variety of styles, sizes and colors. It is installed just like any wall tile.

Things You'll Need

• Chalk
• Tape measure
• Brick tiles
• 3/8-inch spacers
• Thinset adhesive
• Notch trowel
• Level
• Tile cutter
• Sanded tile grout
• Grout float
• Sponge
• Bucket
• Screwdriver

Instructions

1. Mark the wall with chalk lines to indicate where every row of brick should be installed. These guidelines will keep the tiles evenly spaced and level. Brick veneers are 2¼ inches with 3/8 inch of grout. Measure with a tape measure and draw a line every 2 5/8 inches for each tile.

2. Spread thinset on the wall with a trowel. Work in small sections to prevent the thinset from drying before you can get all of the brick veneer set. Use a thinset with the consistency of toothpaste. Anything thinner may allow the tiles to slip from the wall.

3. Measure and cut brick veneers for the edges of the wall with a tile cutter. Back-butter the small pieces by spreading the thinset directly on the back of the tile before pressing into place. Check the first course of brick with a level.

4. Install the second course of brick veneer. Stagger each brick so that the joints of one row line up with the center of the brick above. Place spacers between each veneer. Continue until your wall is completely covered. Allow the thinset to dry overnight.

5. Slide a flat-head screwdriver under each spacer and pry them from the thinset.

6. Apply a mortar-colored grout over the top of the brick veneer, using a grout float. Work the float back and forth over the tiles, moving the grout between the tiles.

7. Saturate a sponge with clean water from a bucket. Wipe all the grout from the face of the bricks. Rinse the sponge often, removing all residue from the bricks. Allow the grout to dry completely.

References

• Vintage Brick Salvage: Thin Brick Tile Installation Instructions