If you’re doing the installation yourself, follow the instructions below; if you’re hiring a professional, give them a copy if they’ve never worked with brick slips before. If you aren’t handling the installation yourself, you should hire a professional.
1. Get Your Wall Ready for Tile Installation
Get the Room Ready
Make sure everything is out of the way, dust sheets are laid up, and anything that will be in close proximity to the tiling (like kitchen units or worktops) is given extra protection to avoid scratches or damages.
To avoid having the tiles protrude above the coving, for example, we advise removing any coving, skirting boards, or other decorative elements from the wall. After the tiles have been installed, you can reapply either of them if you so desire.
Take off any switches and plugs so they can be reattached afterward.
Plan the Install
Make sure any corner tiles fit snugly and that you know where the tiles should begin so you don’t wind up with thin cuts or wide mortar joints. You should also prepare a workspace by laying out all of the necessary tools.
Tiles of varying colors should be mixed together after being removed from their respective boxes.
Prepare the wall
Ensuring the glue and tile have the best possible grip requires scoring and priming the wall.
2. Installing The Slips
Mix Your Adhesive
Create a smooth paste that will hold peaks using a paddle mixer to combine the adhesive. We suggest using a bendable bucket to help with cleanup and ensure that no dry powder lumps are left behind.
The consistency must be maintained by constant mixing; if necessary, a small amount of water may be added at a time, but not repeatedly.
Start Tiling
Using an adhesive trowel, spread a centimeter of adhesive on the wall and apply it to each tile, pressing firmly on the wall with a slight movement to make it stick nicely. Space each tile as needed; this could be as few as one for modern brick slips or as many as three for reclaimed brick slips where there is a rustic tile.
All the tiles should be slightly curved or have their creases facing upward (laughing bricks, not frowning), as this is how they are manufactured (pushed down into a mold), and any wrinkles or tiny misshaping in that fashion is intentional.
If you’re adding more tumbled brick tiles, you might want to use a spirit level to make sure everything is still somewhat even as you go. Instead of using spacers, some people will use a strip of wood to get a perfectly straight mortar line.
Cut The Tiles
Besides having to trim tiles to fit around outlets and switches, cutting tiles to finish out rows is a near certainty.
You can tile all the complete tiles first and clip the edges at the end, or you can continue tiling upwards as before, applying adhesive a little at a time.
Clear Up
After you’ve tiled the entire area, you should remove any excess glue from the tiles using a firm brush.
You can now put away all but the pointing mortar and tidy your workspace. However, you need to wait at least 24 hours for the glue to dry.
3. Pointing Your Wall
Prepare Again
Remove all the spacers from the wall; they should come out easily but can be removed with pliers if necessary; and once again protect your surfaces with a dust sheet to prevent mortar from getting on them.
To make Your Mortar, combine all of the ingredients until they produce a smooth paste that easily slides off a trowel but stays put in the bucket. When you’re ready to use it, just attach it to your pointing device.
Apply The Mortar
Apply into the cracks using the mortar gun or piping bag; the amount of mortar you use will depend on the desired joint profile (for more information, read our mortar guide).
Finish the Mortar
Apply into the cracks using the mortar gun or piping bag; the amount of mortar you use will depend on the desired joint profile (for more information, read our mortar guide).
Clear Up
Remove the extra mortar from the bricks with a stiff brush before it dries, and then tidy up the space. If you clean the wall, you risk spreading mortar across the bricks, which will look terrible. Brick acid is the only thing that can remove it.
4. Care After Installation
Allow it To Dry
You can reinstall the switches and plugs after 12 to 24 hours, once the cement has dried. Depending on the circumstances, drying could take up to a week.
Refit Sockets and Switches
You don’t have to wait for everything to cure, but you also shouldn’t disturb any mortar until it’s time to reinstall it. To properly reattach the plates, you may want screws of a greater length to accommodate the thickness of the tiles.
Seal The Wall
If your brick slips are in a high-traffic area, such as a kitchen, you may wish to seal them to prevent damage from spills. Make sure everything is completely dry before applying the brick sealant with paint. It will be a while before the color returns to normal.
Hang Fittings
You’ll need a masonry drill bit to bore holes in the wall for hanging pictures, shelves, TVs, and other heavy objects. For proper penetration of the bricks and substrate, use screws and raw plugs measuring at least 35 mm in length.
