How to Prep a Painted Wall for Brickwebb

Old Mill Brick Brickwebb can be installed on almost any surface. However, some surfaces take some prep work. For a common painted wall, there are just a few steps you’ll need to take to prep the wall for your Brickwebb or Thin Brick project.

Step 1

To get ready to install, start by remove any outlet covers, thermostats, and other items from the wall. You will also want to tape anything that you can’t remove, like vents and adjacent walls. Turn off the power to any outlets you will be taping over and be careful not to touch the screws on the sides.

Step 2

Next, you’ll want to remove any baseboards and trim that are less than ½” thick. The Brickwebb itself is 1/2" thick and any baseboards that are 1/2" or less will look odd and out of place. To remove a baseboard, start by scoring the calk with a box cutter or other sharp knife. Move the blade along the top edge several times so that you have a slight gap. Then use a pry bar and a hammer to pull the baseboard from the wall. Set the short side of the pry bar in the gap you made with your blade. Tap the curve gently with a hammer to wedge it between the wall and the base board. Lift the long end of your pry bar carefully to pull the baseboard away from the wall. Be gentle and do this in a few locations before pulling the full baseboard off.

Step 3

Put down some plastic covering on the floor and secure it in place with tape to protect your floors and for easy cleanup later. You can purchase plastic floor covering and painters tape at HomeDepot or your local home supply store.

Step 4

In order for the adhesive to stick to the painted wall, you’ll need to go over the wall with some 80 grit sandpaper. Use a small circle motion and go over the entire surface of the wall. You can do this by hand or with an electric sander. You do not need to push hard, the goal is simply to rough up the surface so that your adhesive can take purchase.

Step 5

After sanding, go over the wall with a dry rag or duster to remove all the dust you just created by sanding. It is a good idea to wear safety goggles during this step to protect your eyes.

That's all you need to do to prep a painted wall for Brickwebb. Now you are ready to install your Brickwebb!

For more videos on installing Old Mill Brick products, please visit oldmillbrick.com/install.