Okay, so I’ve been wanting to give my living room a little bit of a rustic upgrade, and I thought, what’s more classic than a red brick fireplace? I did some digging, watched a bunch of videos, and figured, “Hey, I can do this myself!” Here’s how it went down.
Gathering My Supplies
First things first, I needed to get all my stuff together. This wasn’t a small project, so a trip to the home improvement store was definitely in order. Here’s what I grabbed:
- Red bricks: Obviously, the star of the show. I went with a classic, slightly weathered look.
- Mortar mix: This is the “glue” that holds everything together.
- Trowel: For spreading the mortar.
- Brick jointer: To make those nice, clean lines between the bricks.
- Level: Super important to make sure everything is straight.
- Safety glasses and gloves: Gotta protect those eyes and hands!
- A big bucket and mixing stick: For mixing up the mortar.
- Sponge: Keep it nearby all the time.
Prepping the Area
Before I started slapping bricks together, I had to get the area ready. I made sure the wall where the fireplace was going was clean and free of any loose paint or debris. It had to be done, better than have issues after I’m finished.
Mixing the Mortar
Mixing the mortar was kind of like making a giant batch of really thick, gritty pancake batter. I followed the instructions on the bag, adding water slowly until I got a consistency that was like peanut butter – not too runny, not too stiff.
Laying the First Row
This was the moment of truth! I spread a layer of mortar on the bottom of the wall where I put on the bricks, and then carefully placed my first brick. I used the level to make sure it was straight, and then added more bricks, one by one, leaving a small space between each one for the mortar joints.
Building Up the Walls
Once the first row was down, I just kept going, adding more mortar and more bricks, row by row. I staggered the bricks, like you see in a typical brick wall, to make it look more natural. Every few rows, I’d use the brick jointer to smooth out the mortar between the bricks and give it that professional look. It’s kind of satisfying, actually.
Cleaning Up
After all the bricks were in place, I let the mortar dry for a while. I went back with a damp sponge to wipe off any excess mortar that had squeezed out. This made the whole thing look a lot cleaner.
The Finished Product
It took a bit of time, and yeah, my back was a little sore, but in the end, I had my very own red brick fireplace! It totally transformed the look of the living room, and I gotta say, I’m pretty proud of myself for pulling it off. It’s not perfect, of course, but it has that handmade charm that I was going for. Now, I just need to get some firewood and cozy up by the fire!
