Kitchen Remod In Progress

[lumberslinger178]

Originally Posted by JJBroc

Thanks, it was built in 1976.

I am contemplating doing the brick repair work myself. I have never worked with mortar and bricks before (virgin mason) so let me know if you think it is too much. I don’t know what I could mess up. It is not a structural wall, just cosmetics. There is no second floor and the mantle ends at the ceiling.

There are two walls to the mantle an interior and exterior (backside facing my living room). Nothing I have done has affected the exterior wall.

In Pic 1 and 2, above the plywood they used partial bricks. The plywood is cemented in. So that potion of wall has to be knocked down (about a 3’ wide by 2’ tall section), plywood pulled out and rebuilt with bricks the long way.

Then they used cinder blocks on the inside upper right corner. They came right out but that has to be rebuilt with bricks as well.

In Pic 3 and 4 on the right side of the stove, where cuddy hole wall the joined the back wall, there are some bricks sticking out the long way. Only 5 or 6 of these rows will be visible once I put the stove and 24” cabinet in. I know I can knock out the long bricks sticking out, but don’t know if I can put 3/4 - 7/8 size bricks in the long way to fill the holes.

I think a stainless back-splash could be used to cover a majority of the bricks on the right side above the stove (pending the bosses approval). But I want to try to fix it.

Does anyone think I should try this or am I better off getting a mason?

I think a stainless back-splash could be used to cover a majority of the bricks on the right side above the stove (pending the bosses approval). But I want to try to fix it.

I think you took the words rite out of my mouth , mite be alot of work weaveing those bricks in , keep up the good work.

[parishht]

Brick really is not as hard is it sounds.

It is just time consuming as h377.

The trick to the mortar is getting the right consistency and matching the
existing.
For my house, I can't use straight from the bag,
I have to mix special because of the age of the house.
Built in 1820, the bricks are soft and the mortar just as soft,
today's mortars would not allow the house to move and just break the bricks.

[Stinky_Hooker]

JJ that kitchen is off the chain full of character! VERY NICE!

Thanks Skool.

What do you guys think of this granite for counter tops?
I like it a lot but want to make sure it won't go out of style. It is calles Marinace. Has a lot of dark sea-weedish greens in it and some reds.
My house is rustic for the most part and has dark brown wooden plank ceilings.

Thanks Skool.
What do you guys think of this granite. It is called "Marinace". I want to make sure it is not going to go out of style.
My house is rustic and I think this is beautiful. There is a lot of dark sea-weedish greens in it to offset all the browns in the kitchen. My ceilings are dark brown stained wood planks.

ceilings. my kitchen isn't that dark. the pics were taken at night witha weak flash.
and yes ugly azz wall paper is gettin ripped down.

[parishht]

My personal opinion, being as you are going for the rustic look,
one of three options:

1 - real butcher block
2 - slate
3 - concrete with slate tinting

The problem is these require maintenance and care to last long.

Personally, I hate when people put granite into
a house that is supposed to be rustic.
We have an old house tour every year in Berks county
and the slate just looks out of place in some of teh houses.

Here's a link to the yearly tour:

http://www.berkshistory.org/events/3cent.html

I haven't even considered slate I will look into it. I love butcher block, but it would get destroyed in no time in my house (refer to pic of two little monsters).
What kind of maintenance does slate require and how durable is it?