5 Tips for Installing Your Thin Brick Project

November 19 2021

Our new brick, Monument, is a beautifully gray colored brick combined with dark and white tones, giving the warm gray an accentuated touch of style. It would make any room pop! We decided to give our office wall that “Monument pop.” During the project we had some thoughts as to things that would be helpful to know before starting your own thin brick project. We wanted to share with you 5 tips to help you in your own thin brick endeavors.

Tip #1

"Measure Twice, Cut Once"

Before beginning your project, you should always measure your space appropriately. All measurements should be in square feet or linear feet (for corners). For projects that have a corner section, you should measure that first. Then you can measure the square feet by taking the width x height of your project space. When you have your measurements, you can then purchase the correct number of bricks and start laying out your design.

Tip #2

Map It Out

With this project, we mapped out the corner first. We figured out how many corner pieces fit on the vertical window corner seam, which resulted in us also knowing how sheets we would need for the wall next to the window. Mapping out where your bricks are going is essential in getting a good looking project. If doing a floor you can lay down all the bricks (without adhesive) to fully visualize how you want everything to look and line up. When you are ready to install, then you can adhere the bricks to the floor using a modified thin set. Always remember, mapping out your project beforehand will save you a lot of time and headaches later.

Tip #3

Start Where You Feel Comfortable

We usually recommend starting at the top of a wall or vertical installation. We recommend doing this because it allows you to start with a full brick at the top of your wall and places the bricks needing to be cut at the bottom of the wall. That being said, all projects are different. You should start where you feel comfortable or where you feel you’ll get the best looking finish. We’ve known many customers who have started at the top of their wall and many others who have started at the bottom or in the middle. Whatever your decision, as long as you’ve mapped it out correctly, your project will turn out amazing!

Tip #4

Grouting Is Harder than It Appears

We’ve heard from many customers that the hardest part of their project was the grouting. Many say that they were very underprepared to grout their project. We want you to know that grouting can be very time consuming and tricky to get right, especially for beginners. To make grouting easier, remember to have the right consistency of grout. Too runny and it won’t stay on the wall. Too thick and it won’t come out of the bag. You want something in between. A lot of people say a smooth peanut butter or cake batter consistency is ideal.

Tip #5

You Can Do It

This may not seem like a tip, but it really does help to know you CAN install a thin brick project. It will be hard at times. It will be challenging. But in the end, it will be so rewarding. You are more than capable of installing brick anywhere you want. And rest assured, and with time, you will want to install more brick somewhere else in your home.