DIY Network

Brick Wall: Cement Fiberboard Installation From "Rock Solid" episode DROC-109

Covering your wall with cement fiberboard creates a solid masonry surface for the brick to adhere to and provides a moisture barrier during grouting.

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	The guys are in the Centennial State...
	working on a wall...
	that takes the room from boring, to brick!

Materials:

Measuring tape
Pencil
Utility knife
Screw gun
1-½ in. drywall screws
Shop vacuum or broom and dust pan
Drop cloths including plastic sheeting
Masking tape
Cement fiberboard
4 in. grinder
Safety glasses
Construction adhesive (designed specifically for brick or brick veneer)
Caulking gun
Tile spacers (for desired thickness of brick joint)
Protective gloves
Masonry baker’s bag
Trowel
Half-round jointer (one for each person jointing)
Bullet level
2 ft. level
Premix mortar (any other material)
Mixing buckets

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E

Cement Fiberboard Install

Note: This project information is for interior application of brick veneer only. If you are using the brick veneer for an exterior application, the prepared surface and method of application is different and you should follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

1. Cover the entire project area – including window sills – with cement fiberboard (figure A). Make cuts with a utility knife around corners and outlets (figure B). If you want your outlets to be recessed, leave the outlets as they are; if you would like them to be flush with your wall, have an electrician pull out the outlets prior to beginning the project. Have your outlets pulled out the width of the fiberboard and brick veneer combined – in this project, the fiberboard is 1/4 inch thick and the brick veneer is 1/2 inch thick, so the outlets were pulled out 3/4 of an inch (figure C).

2. Attach the board with 1-1/2 inch drywall screws using a screw gun (figure D). Start at the corners and work your way into the middle, securing the cement fiberboard until there are no gaps between it and the wall. You can determine if there are gaps by pressing down on the fiberboard in areas with no or few screws – if you feel it give, that area needs more screws. The wall covered in this project was a wood paneled wall, so the cement fiberboard can be attached directly to the surface. If you are covering drywall, secure the fiberboard by first screwing into the wall studs and then securing it in the middle sections until there are no gaps between the two surfaces.

3. Once you have finished covering the wall with cement fiberboard (figure E), finalize the design for your brick wall. Transfer the height of the wall onto the floor and lay out the brick veneer in a row. Once you have laid the brick out (figure F), you can incorporate design elements and decide on joint size – it is much easier to make these decisions before you start applying the brick veneer to the wall. Dean and Derek chose to install a decorative three brick dry stack row 72 inches up their wall (figure G) and they marked these measurements on the wall with their pencil. You should also have full bricks at the top and bottom of the wall, so this is the time to roughly space out your joints to determine what joint size will give you full bricks at the top and bottom of the wall.

4. Clean up your area with your shop vac or broom and dust pan and protect the floor with a drop cloth. For extra protection, Dean and Derek suggest taping the drop cloth to the floor so that it won’t move during the brick installation. With a brick template on the floor as your guide, you can begin attaching brick to your wall.

Figure F

Figure G

RESOURCES :

Product: Peppermill (color)
Brand Name: Old Brick Originals Thin Brick
Robinson Brick Company
1845 W. Dartmouth Ave.
Denver, CO 80110
1-800-477-9002
Website: www.robinsonbrick.com