recommended that you apply two
coats of sealant.
Before applying the sealant,
cover any carpeting or other floor-
ing materials in the accent wall
area of your man cave to avoidhaving the brick sealer bleed
onto those areas. Painter’s tape
is also recommended to protect
any molding or walls that do
not need to be touched with the
sealant. Next, scrub the wallsurface with a warm water and
vinegar solution ( 1 - part vinegar to
15 parts water), using a brush or
sponge, then rinse with clear
water. Allow the brick to dry com-
pletely before applying sealant.
If you wish to achieve a rustic
aesthetic, you can also leave the
brick unfinished so it maintains its
rough, textured surface. However,
because brick is made of clay and
is grouted with cementitious mortar,
brick walls are highly susceptible
to stains unless they are properly
sealed.THIN BRICK ACCENT
WALL MAINTENANCE
If you decide on a brick accent
wall for your man cave, you can
preserve its beauty and prolong
its lifespan by removing dirt and
debris from the surface with a wet
microfiber mop dipped in a solu-
tion of vinegar and warm water
on a quarterly basis. Stains in
the mortar or grout of your brick
wall can be removed by working a
phosphoric acid cleaner and water
into the seams with a brush as
they arise.
It is recommended that you
reseal your brick wall every one
to three years, on average. First,
remove any dirt or debris with the
water-vinegar solution, then apply
a commercial brick stripper to
remove the original sealant. Apply
fresh sealer to the thin brick and
grout with a foam brush.52 ExtremeHowTo.comEHTBRICK
UPA
MAN
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