The Brick Wall Install – Part One

**This is a sponsored post, proudly brought to you by H.G. Page Home Center and Environmental Stoneworks.

And so the brick wall project begins!

You know how a song sticks in your head and you end up singing it all day?  When it’s a good song, I don’ t mind, but the jingles I don’t really care for, I’m like “get out of my head already!”

When the kids were toddlers, I would have the Nursery Rhyme songs on rotation in the car.  I bet still to this day, I can recite the song order on the cd.  And too, since these rhymes are embedded in my brain, their melodies come to mind every once in a while when I’m working on a project.

So when I started working on the brick wall project, I started thinking about those three little pigs, specifically the little pig that built his house of brick.  I laughed to myself when I found shredded newspaper (could be related to straw) behind the plaster, and had to concentrate on screwing the wire mesh in to a stud, or at least the wooden lath (sticks).  All of this in order to get brick.

But enough about the swine..

In all seriousness, the project is going well.  Following all the instructions from Jay of H.G. Page Home Center, there was plywood to adhere to the wall, wire mesh sheets needed to be cut to size, and mortar to mix and spread on the mesh, like icing on a cake.

Brick walls need to be supported by masonry footings on the walls.  Because some of the wall was drywall, not plaster, I needed to attach the plywood for support, then carry on with the wire mesh.  This step is paramount to support the weight of the brick, and to keep the brick adhered to the wall.

After getting the wire mesh screwed into the plywood, it was time to tackle the mortar, so, when it came time to mix the mortar, I went Little House on the Prairie style.  I stirred the mix with a broken broom handle.  I don’t have one of those fancy gadgets that you can attach to your drill to mix.  I wish, but the broken broom handle worked just fine.

I started to spread the mortar on the wall, and one mistake I made right off the bat, was that I started above the door going into the kitchen.  I had mortar plopping and flying everywhere.  Mistake.

I quickly figured out that I needed to start at the bottom first, then work my way up.  A wise decision.

Now that the mortar has been spread generously over the wire mesh, it needs to dry for at least 2 days.  While that dries, I’ll be admiring the brick I have chosen for the wall, sponsored by Environmental Stoneworks.  It is beautiful, if I do say so myself.  I cannot wait to attach that brick to the wall!

Stay tuned for part two!

**This project is made possible by H.G. Page Home Center and Environmental Stoneworks.  All opinions and swine talk are all my own.  Please see my disclaimer page for details