How to Resurface Brick Fireplaces
- 1). Ventilate the work area, as the chemicals used to clean bricks can produce strong fumes. Wear protective goggles and gloves to protect sensitive areas of your body from the chemicals.
- 2). Lay down sheets under the fireplace to protect the floor. Mask nearby breakable objects or easily stained surfaces to protect them from mortar dust and cleaning chemicals.
- 3). Remove loose or damaged mortar sections with a nonmetallic chisel or scraper. Remove the damaged mortar to a depth of 1/2 inch or deeper if necessary to reach stable mortar. Scrape out loose dust with a wire brush or whisk broom to remove as much of the mortar as possible.
- 4). Saturate the bricks with clean water before using any cleaner. Keep the bricks saturated at all times during the cleaning process, even if you have to stop to rewet the surface. This will prevent the chemicals from sinking in and damaging the brick surface.
- 5). Mix 1 part grease-fighting dish soap and 1 part salt. Add just enough water to make a thin paste.
- 6). Spread the cleaner paste onto the brick surface with a clean rag, starting at the top and working your way down. Scrub the area with a scrub brush to work the cleaner into the surface. Allow the cleaner to sit on the surface for 10 minutes.
- 7). Rinse the cleaning paste away with a clean rag dampened in warm water. Rinse thoroughly until no trace of soap remains, as residual soap can result in a white haze on the brick surface.
- 8). Mix mortar and water per product instructions. Add enough water to make the mortar pliable but not runny, so that it holds its shape when you make a ball. Allow the mortar to set for one hour, and then add more water to create a texture that is workable but not runny.
- 9). Dampen the mortar joints and allow the mortar to absorb the water completely. Spread the mortar into the joint with a mason's trowel. Create a base layer about 1/4 inch thick and allow it to dry until you can press your thumb into the surface and not break it.
- 10
Apply 1/4-inch-thick layers of mortar until you have filled the damaged area completely. Allow the mortar to dry until it is thumbprint-sturdy, and then tool the joint with a wooden stick until it matches the rest of the joints.
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