The Power of YouTube!

in ,

Anyone who knows me knows that my philosophy about home improvement is to make sure you have the right equipment — because "kit" is everything, and if you don't know how to do the job, watch a few YouTube videos before you start.

So far I can thank YouTube for learning how to poach the perfect egg — thank you Commander Sloan, US Army; Mudding a battered wall — thank you eHow; installing a toilet — thanks HouseImprovement, replacing a leaky faucet — thank you DoitBest, changing a plug or light fixture — thank you Jennie's Garage.

a new definition of "exposed" brick

Today's project is to not so much as repoint, as sculpt new "old mortar" on the wall where the old gigantic radiator used to be in the living room. When they guys moved it for me, I found I was now faced with 150 year old brick that had been ignored when the poly was applied.

I needed to dig out the old mortar, repoint it — in a way that looks 150 years old, stain the mortar and the brick and then poly. The Hail Mary here, is to hope that I can get it to kind of match - otherwise, this wall becomes a fast candidate for wainscoting. The picture above is the wall after I had dug out all the mortar and am getting ready to repoint.

Now nobody would begin to suggest that I give up my day job for a career in masonry, but three YouTube videos later, the brick is repointed and distressed with a combination of fruitwood stain and Earl Grey tea. I am not totally disappointed with the progress and I learned a some valuable lessons like:

  • If you practice a little patience and wait for the mortar cure a little like the directions suggest — it doesn't run down the wall and make a huge mess
  • The cake decorating bag is a perfect partner for this job, and allowed me to "shoot" the mortar into what seemed like bottomless holes
  • My finger actually worked better than the trowel at making a smooth mortar line - but ouch, I suggest you wear a glove - cause it erodes your finger pretty quickly.

Now I just need a little more stain and a couple coats of poly, and we'll have a perfectly acceptable 1866 used brick wall... as a backdrop to some furniture.

—Laurie