step by step directions on how to cover a brick fireplace with tile?

Answer 1

instead of giving you step-by-step here, i'm giving you a tile setting forum that has expert tile setters and engineers that help D-I-Y'ers thru their project. i have never seen such a great resource for anything else.

http://johnbridge.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1

take some pictures of your project and post a question with the photo's and you'll get someone to walk you thru the job. they'll give specific answers question about correct materials and substrate preparation

Answer 2

I answer Tiling Q's every day, both here and in public. I agree in part with one answer about just thinset and set tile, but there are details you don't supply and that I would be curious about.

I've installed thousands of sq. ft. of tile on various surfaces under many conditions, and though most jobs may seem siliar, they all come with their own special considerations.

First of all you need to define this job with mathematics and knowing the measurements of the structure as they relate to whatever tile size will best fit, or be suitable to you. IE: If you have a tile in mind that will take a lot of edge cuts to fit, perhaps you might rethink your choice.

2. Is the brick smooth face or textured?
3. Will the tile you select span over the brick mortar lines, or at some points need those lines filled to level?
4. Do the current bricks, on the face of the fireplace retain any or a lot of the heat of any fire?

In doing verticle installs I usually run my first course, then let it set before proceeding. Obviously the proper mortar should be chosen for vertical installs, as well as the proper grout after.

Without strictly knowing some of your detail issues I can only suggest it can be done without it being Rocket Science. No offense at all but I happen to like brick, or any natural stone for a fireplace. I guess I'm curious as to why anyone would want to cover that.

Steven Wolf

Answer 3

the same as step by step laying tile, except skip to the tile laying part... no prep, just apply tile to brick with thin set, let dry 24 hrs, then grout!

Answer 4

first you make a soild foundation of mortar on top of your brick, smooth it out, when it's dry you can lay your tiles directly on top of the smooth bed of mortar.