Rendering, plasterboarding clinker bricks

[Stu]

Hi all,

Our house has an internal feature!!! wall made out of clinker bricks ( 4 mtr height 9 mtr long. Would you recommend getting a plasterer in to render it or to use plasterboard over battens?? Which is the best way to remove the lumps from the clinker bricks without damaging the structure of the wall??
Thanks in advance for your help, I have done a lot of building work but never had anything to do with brick.

[Harry72]

Will a chipper gun(mini jackhammer)touch it?
If you could get the flatness down to 2-4mm you could just glue G/rock straight to it.
Thats what Ive done at my place its held up so far. Used construction adhesive and stud adhesive, you need a jackhammer to remove it, I did this just to prove to a master builder(bro inlaw)who didnt agree, he said I should use battens... sure changed his mind!

[Stu]

Thanks for the idea, the wall is not 100% plumb that is why I was thinking using battens or a furring system to level it out, whoevers idea it was to install all these brick feature walls in Aus 2 0 years ago should be shot!!!

[bitingmidge]

Stu,

If the wall isn't plumb....is it structural??

If it is just a single skin feature wall internally there's a fair chance it isn't holding anything up, in which case...bowl it over and replace with a stud wall. You'll find it far easier and will get a better job.

Cheers,

P

[Andrew in Tas]

If you intend on fixing plasterboard directly to masonary I would use cornice adhesive. This is designed for fixing to masonary. I think CSR also do/did put our a masonary adhesive but I was advised this was the same as cornice adhesive anyway.

If you intend using battens I would go with furring channel. You attach clips to the wall with ramset/hilti type anchors and the furring channel clips in place. From memory the channel is fixed at a maximum of 600mm centres with a maximum of 900mm between the clips. This way if you need to smooth the surface of the bricks you only need to do it where the clips are going to sit. Fix the channel vertically and use a chalk line to ensure the holes line up nicely. You also need to put a strip horizontally at the bottom of the wall and at the top to support the edges of the sheets.

Have a look at Borals website they have good detailed instalation reference manuals on line. If in doubt ring up you local Boral or CSR supplier. They know their stuff and I'm sure you'll find them helpful.

Good luck
Andrew

[Stu]

Sadly the wall is load bearing, clips and furring sounds like a better suggestion than using timber, at present you could climb the wall as some of the bricks have up to 40mm pieces sticking out.

[ozwinner]

Thanks for the idea, the wall is not 100% plumb that is why I was thinking using battens or a furring system to level it out, whoevers idea it was to install all these brick feature walls in Aus 2 0 years ago should be shot!!!

Al

[bitingmidge]

whoevers idea it was to install all these brick feature walls in Aus 2 0 years ago should be shot!!!

Mark my words young man 20 years from now (that'd be December 2024) go and visit this place after the new owners have "restored" it.

They will have gone to great pains to repair all the bricks, even gluing on 40mm protrubrences (I made that up!) to try to get an original '80's look.

They will have spent 6 months achieving this on a very small budget, and will have said to all and sundry:

whoevers idea it was to cover up all these brick feature walls in Aus 2 0 years ago should be shot!!!

Cheers,

P

[Stu]

you are probably right!!! I know I have spent a lot of time in the past uncovering rimu, matai and kauri that has been painted over, I am sure that there are people out there that would love a huge dark brown clinker brick wall!!

[seriph1]

I would love a large clinker wall ..... crap idea having it on the inside though

with or without protruberences which reminds me of a joke, though it's unfit for this fine forum)