Brick Veneer(thin Stuff) Interior Installation

ApgarNJ

Hey guys, i've done a lot of tile work on all my jobs over the years but never any brick veneer. My architect has a woman working for her doing her drafting work and she just built a house and wants me to come and install thin brick veneer over existing luan/plywood on the walls, backsplash, up and around the stove, and then over some drywall too. I've never tiled over plywood on a wall before, and she's telling me that when she bought it, they told her it could be glued with masonry ahesive on the wall, no wire lath needed. my brain tells me that it's a mason's job and the whole thing should be wire lathed and scratch coated because there are seams in the luan/ply and i'm worried about what that's going to do over time. plus, going over the area where it goes from wood, to drywall, what to do at that seam?
she wants me there today to do this, but i'm just not sure what to tell her. i want to help her out and she wants to learn how to do this, so she's paying me by the hour to help do this so she can learn how to install it later on in other parts of the house. I know her well enough to say that i'm fine doing this, normally, i don't teach homeowners anything on how to do my work.
This is just something i'm on the fence about doing. she called the place where she got the brick and the guy told her that if it were his house, he would just thinset them on just like tile, right over the plywood.

let me know what you guys think.

Tscarborough

I wouldn't do it over plywood. 1/4" hardi-backer, then thinset, especially in a kitchen. I will put thin brick on fresh sheetrock, but I prime it with a product like Parex 121 base coat first

ApgarNJ

i tried telling her that hardie backer should be used. but the place is all trimmed, cabinets all set and installing this now would just hurt all the tolerances around the room. if she wants to pay me to do it, i'm telling her that i won't guarantee any work and she's responsible if it fails. she also suggested using a masonry construction adhesive like for pavers, and stick them to the plywood.

tkle

I've seen mastic used over plywood with success,though as a contractor,I'd be hesitant to use this method.

SmithBuilt

I'd be hesitant also.

But if you primed the plywood just like you would sheet rock it should be ok. Use a good primer as Tscarborough stated.

Still may carefully word the warranty.

POOLMANinCT

if the homeowner ever tires of the look, the veneer/sheetrock is going to be a total nightmare when the next remodel comes around

ApgarNJ

well. i warned this woman, who is someone who works for my architect, so I know her, and warned her that the best way to do it was to put the hardie backer up, this is a brand new house and she had that guy put 1/2" luan on the one wall, of the kitchen where the brick is going. i taped the joints today with the blue self ahesive mesh tape that's meant for mortar, and hope that it's ok. they aren't huge areas that we are doing. a small area of backsplash and then some areas up and around a large pass through doorway. we are done with the backsplash area and will finish the doorway tomorrow. i won't give any warranty with this work, if it fails, she'll tear it off later and do it the right way, and won't be my problem. i used a good modified thinset and it seemed to stick them very well to the wall. only time will tell how long it stays that way. the mesh tape should help a little. i wasn't worried about it sticking to the plywood, i was worried about the ply moving at the joints in it and popping the brick, but since it's inside, maybe it wont move as much as something outdoors will.
thanks for the replies guy, i know there is a better way to do this, and she'll maybe have to learn the hard way. i'm just doing this as a favor for her. if it was a new customer, who i didn't know, i never would have done it this way.
thanks again.

ruskent

Never do a job that could fail. It will come back to hurt your reputation one way or another.

Do the job right, or don't do it at all.

Subia29

[quote=ApgarNJ;205624] normally, i don't teach homeowners anything on how to do my work.

Subia29

Good to here you tried to eduacate her about the hardi backer. Tile over plywood?Have'nt heard such a thing,Sounds like another architect whose never been out in the field, or a homeowner who tells a trade men how to do his job.

ApgarNJ

she's the architects draftsperson. she doesn't go out in the field.
listen, i don't do jobs that will fall. with all the cabinets and appliances, and trim installed on this job, how can i go back and rip all of that out, just to install hardie backer. i know it's not the BEST way, but I think that it will hold up. i have seen tile over plywood before. it does stick to it rather well, just have to use the right thinset.
drywall moves too, and people do it over drywall all the time. heck, before the cement boards came out, which wasn't that long ago, all anyone used was drywall in a shower. the joints of the ply are taped and screwed ever 5 inches. and it's a small enough area that I think she'll be fine.

kylemfk

I agree Apgar. Not the ideal conditions.. but it should be fine. I sell lots and lots of thin brick and guys stick it to all sorts of things, rarely a problem.

Good Luck

Tscarborough

The brick stick; it is usually the mortar that falls out. I would have done this, I just would have used a trowelable cementious primer over the ply and sheetrock.

HemiMan2500HD

Thinset a layer of kerdi over the plywood and then use the appropriate thinset for the brick veneer. Then use a good rich mortar with a flex additive for the grout.

If you don't want the job I will do it. I love doing cultured stone/brick