This DIY Brick Kitchen Nook uses thin brick pavers to add a touch of charm and character. This easy DIY project is great for beginners and can be used to brick a backsplash or accent wall!
Do you have a space in your home that is begging for a little more character? In my home, my kitchen nook is positioned in an awkward place. It is on the far side of my kitchen positioned between pantry doors and a backdoor of my home. It is not very deep, so finding furniture to fit in the nook without blocking access to the pantry was difficult. There were just so many things not quite right about it.
When I started working on our home renovation I knew we would be doing most, if not all of the work ourselves. I love a good DIY and after I bricked my kitchen backsplash I knew adding brick to the kitchen nook could turn this awkward area into a beautiful space that blended well with the rest of the home.
Now, it is one of my favorite spaces. Adding brick to your home is much easier than you might have imagined. I did this entire project myself in about two weekends. And a major plus is that it is pretty affordable too!
What materials do you need to brick a wall in your home?
- Thin brick pavers
- Strong Adhesive
- Spacers
- Angle Grinder or Tile Cutter and appropriate blades
- Grout
- Bucket and Mixer
- Grout Bag
- Possible Extras: Sponge, Marker, Clamps, Painters Tape
How do you choose a brick color for your home?
The first and most important decision you will make is what kind of brick you would like to use. If you already have brick in your home and you are wanting a cohesive look pick a brick as close to your existing brick as possible.
Alternatively, if you are adding this to a clean slate like I was consider other elements in the room like wall and cabinet color as well as counter top finishes.
I chose a mixture of two different styles because I wanted this to feel aged and vintage. I did not want a uniform look so mixing two colors in no particular pattern gave me that feel.
Ultimately I chose Old Mill Brick Pavers in Rushmore, which is a pretty uniform grey brick and Castle Gate, which has more variation in colors ranging from red to burgundy.
What kind of adhesive do you use to install interior brick?
After a lot of research and a bit of trial and error the best product I have found to secure the brick is Loctite Express Power Grab All Purpose Interior Construction Adhesive. This is readily available at home improvement stores and inexpensive.
You will need a caulk gun to apply the glue. I apply the glue liberally to the back of the brick and then place it firmly against the wall. I will go into more detail about this in the install section of this post, but what I love about this adhesive is that you have about 20 seconds to move the brick if needed. This allows for a little time to check your work and make sure you’ve positioned it correctly. Ultimately, this adhesive is forgiving to work with and does a fabulous job adhering.
How do you install interior brick pavers as a backsplash or wall treatment?
The great thing about working with brick is that it is very forgiving. Often, slight chips made in the brick when cutting add to the character or are covered up when grouting. Compared to working with tile, which is much more exact this is an easy project great for beginners.
Before beginning your project look at the wall you will be working with and consider your layout. How do you want to lay your pattern? After measuring the height of the space will your last row be a full brick or partial brick? If so, do you want the half brick to be at the top or bottom? 
For example, when bricking my backsplash I allowed the half brick row to be at the top because it was mostly hidden from view because of the cabinets. However, when I installed brick in my kitchen nook I needed the row of half bricks to be at the bottom because it is less noticeable. All of these things are personal preferences, there is no right or wrong. Just consider these layout questions before you begin.
When ready to install the brick liberally add the glue to the back of a brick, working with just one at a time. Find your place on the wall and press the brick securely against the wall holding for a few seconds. Next, add your spacer and secure the next brick. Continue with this method, working with one at a time and stepping back after every few bricks to make sure your lines are straight.
How do you cut brick pavers?
Eventually, you will come to a place where you need to trim your brick. This may be at the end of a row, around a window or outlet and there are a few easy ways to do this.
How do you cut brick in half easily?
If you just need to make a straight cut you can use an inexpensive score and press tile cutter. This method is easy and provides for straight cuts to be made on the spot. Simply mark the place where you need the cut, TURN THE BRICK OVER, score and break the brick using the tile cutter.
It is important to turn the brick over so the backside is facing you, this is because if the brick crumbles at all it will have clean edges on the front and imperfections on the back.
Score the brick several times bearing down before you press down the tile cuter. Scoring the brick well helps to give a clean cut.
How do you cut brick to go around outlets?
Using an inexpensive angle grinder with a diamond blade is the easiest way to cut tile at an angle or around corners. Measure and mark the cuts you need to make on the back of the paver. Secure your brick with a clamp and carefully guide your angle grinder along the lines you marked. 
You will need to apply medium pressure as you guide the grinder and be mindful of your clamp. Use protective glasses when cutting brick as it tends to spray small pieces of stone.
One thing to mention, when working around outlets be careful not to brick over any of the hardware, if you do you will not be able to unscrew this plate and add spacers to extend it to be able to meet your brick and you will not be able to add your outlet covers back on. Just be mindful when you place things and you will have no problems.
How do you grout interior brick?
Once all the brick is up it’s time to add the finishing touch, the grout. I used solid white sanded grout. You can choose any color you like, but you definitely need to use sanded grout verses unsanded grout.Sanded grout is what you use for large joints, unsanded grout is what you would use for very tightly spaced tile. 
If you are grouting a large space like this I suggest mixing the grout in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid. This allows you to mix a sizable amount at once and cover it so it does not dry out while you are working.
You can mix this by hand, but it is much easier to use an inexpensive mixer attachment for your drill and this will combine the grout very quickly. Once my grout was mixed I shoveled it into a grout bag, which works just like a piping bag for frosting. 
Simply pipe the grout into the joints. Allow your grout to sit for 15-20 minutes while you work on the rest of the wall, then go back and smooth the grout to get the look you want. You can use a tool like this, or a small piece of scrap wood.
How do you add an aged look to brick?
The final thing I did to my brick to achieve the aged vintage look that I wanted was to take a large damp sponge and wipe over the brick just before the grout was dry. This allowed a bit of the white grout to come out of the joint and work over the brick. As long as you do this while the grout is still damp (not wet, just damp) you can use the wet sponge to remove or add more of the grout depending on the look you want.
This look isn’t for everyone, but it was exactly what I was going for. It creates something slightly similar to a german schemer look without covering the brick quite so much.
This looks so good! I truly love it.