How To Install Thin Brick on an Interior Wall - Royal Thin Brick®

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Modern design trends feature the timeless look of an exposed brick interior wall, creating a focal point for any room. Using thin brick instead of full brick makes installation even easier. Our how-to video will show you how to install Royal Thin Brick® to a flat interior wall, transforming any home or office.

Thin Brick Wall Installation Guide

Inspiration

Pattern Ideas

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Quicklinks
0:22 Preparing the Surface
0:49 Dry Lay the Brick
1:05 Attach a Level 1x2 with Screws
1:27 Mix Mortar and Apply Thin Brick
1:49 Mix Brick from Several Cartons
2:01 Apply Mortar and Embed Bricks
2:48 Pyramid Approach
3:23 Remove the Horizontal Board
3:42 Grouting Methods
4:03 Using a Grout Bag
4:26 Grout Tools
5:05 Pre-Grouting Cleaning
5:14 Grouting the Wall
5:44 Clean Excess Grout with Sponge and Clean Water

🧱 Preparing the Surface
Various substrates are suitable for applying thin brick to an interior wall, including concrete block, foam backer boards and cement backer boards. Our video installation uses green board drywall with taped seams. We have primed the wall to prepare the surface to receive the brick.

🧱 Dry Lay the Brick
Before you begin, dry lay the brick, avoiding small cuts at openings and edges. Although not always practical, the ideal installation has nothing but full and half pieces.

🧱 Attach a Level 1x2 with Screws
Attach a straight-level board at the bottom of your wall, just above the floor, to create a horizontal surface and provide a secure starting point for the wall. Use screws so that it can be easily removed before finishing the installation.

⚠️ Before applying the brick, wipe the wall down with a damp sponge.

🧱 Mix Mortar & Apply Thin Brick
This video will attach the bricks with thinset mortar and grout them once the mortar is set. Use a thinset mortar designed for large and heavy tiles. The mortars are formulated to keep the bricks in place until they are set, instead of sagging under their own weight.

ℹ️ We used Royal Thin Brick® Lexington Blend.

🧱 Mix Brick from Several Cartons
It is a good idea to mix bricks from several cartons to ensure you have a random blend before applying.

🧱 Apply Mortar and Embed Bricks
Apply mortar to the wall with a ½" square notched trowel. Embed the bricks into the mortar with a back and forth motion. Use spacers to create the proper spacing between each brick. The spacers will also keep the bricks from sliding down the wall before the mortar cures. We are using ⅜" dowel rods cut at 3" lengths.

Measure the cuts and use a wet saw fitted with a tile or masonry blade at a slow speed to cut bricks. Wipe the cut pieces dry before installation.

ℹ️ Pyramid Approach
Bricks are typically installed with a 50% offset pattern, although most installers go layer by layer using a pyramid approach. Working with several layers at once can minimize obvious patterns.

Continue adding bricks up the wall, paying special attention to spacing and brick layout. Remove any excess mortar from the surface as you go. When the mortar has completely hardened, remove the spacers and the horizontal board. Cut pieces and back butter with thinset to fit bricks in the gap at the base of the wall.

🧱 Grouting Methods
For our installation, we will use the grout float method, as you would for most ceramic tile installations. If you do not want any grout in the brick surface voids, you can use a grout bag.

Once the grout has cured to the point where you can touch it without sticking to your fingers, it can be tooled into a final shape using a margin trowel for a flush joint, a rake tool for a raked square joint or a jointer tool for a concave joint.

ℹ️ Many thin brick installations use a concave grout joint but other popular joints are raked and flush. Corner pieces are available if needed to complete an installation and add the look of a full brick. When using corners, they should be back buttered with mortar to ensure full contact.

🧱 Pre-Grouting Cleaning
Before grouting with a float, use a shop vac to remove any dust from a wall. Sealing the brick with a penetrating sealer or a grout release product before grouting will help with cleanup.

⚠️ Be careful not to get sealer into the grout joints and ensure to follow the manufacturer's instructions.

🧱Mix Grout and Begin Grouting the Wall
Mix the grout per the manufacturer's instructions. Float the grout into the joints, filling them as you would any ceramic tile installation. Remove as much excess grout as you can with a tile float, then continue cleaning with a sponge and clean water.

🧱Clean Excess Grout with Sponge and Clean Water
⚠️ Be careful not to remove grout from the joints. Grouts can vary - it is important to follow the grout manufacturer's instructions for applying and final clean up of grout.