Before & After: Vickiann’s DIY Real Brick Wall
Remember when we gave you eight awesome ways to “fake” architectural details if your home didn’t come with charming elements built right in? Well if you own a home, have the adventurous DIY spirit and don’t want to fake it — if you want to add your own actual architectural detail — you’re going to want to pay attention to the project Vickiann tackled.
Vickiann of My Crappy House is no professional bricklayer. Or at least she wasn’t before she attempted this project. And while it took her awhile, she installed by herself a real brick wall in her living room to give it architectural interest.
Why Vickiann wanted to add a wall to her “crappy” house:
I see posts on design blogs all the time, written by people complaining about their brick wall “eyesores”. They’re seeking advice on how to remove/cover/disguise their brick. Personally, I think they’re nuts and should just replace those brick walls with padded ones. I love brick walls. Beautiful, vintage, NYC loft kind of brick. The kind of brick that looks like it’s been around the block a few times. (Metaphorically speaking, of course. Brick walls tend to stay put.)
From Vickiann:
There are a bunch of YouTube videos demonstrating how to install brick on a regular wall in your house. I am here to tell you they are all wrong. They would have you glue bricks directly to your drywall. Drywall (aka Sheetrock) is basically plaster sandwiched between two sheets of paper. PAPER! What do you think could happen if you glue a half ton of brick to your paper wall? Nothing good, people. (Find out what Vickann did instead on her blog.)
And no — she’s not going to keep the plywood floor you see in the photo above (and don’t worry, she’s being very safe about the stairwell opening!). She’s tackling her huge house project solo, and the floors just aren’t finished yet. But we wanted to share this gutsy project in case it inspires anyone else! Cute bonus: Vickiann’s cat Egor’s a ham and shows up a lot in photos and in the mortaring video she posted on her site. See how Vickiann did this huge home feat on her blog.
Thank you Vickiann!