The bare brick look? How?

Dolly-Rocket

Hello,
I really want to give my house a fresh look. I really like the bare brick look, either in its natural colour or painted white.
I'm a bit scared to take the plaster off my walls for fear of what I may find. The house is 130 years old, and after much deliberation I think I am going to go for it (brick-slips are too expensive).
Where do I begin?????
I'm guessing a tool hire shop?
I really can't afford to pay someone to do this for me. Is it advisable that a novice single mum takes on the task?
Many thanks.

PasturesNew

If it's 130 years old, you might get a shock ... knowing it was going to be plastered over it's probably a right mess of higgledy piggledy unmatching bricks of all sorts and gaps.

olias

And even if they are uniform, you'll probably rip the face off half of them when chiseling the plaster off.

Olias

Dolly-Rocket

Hhhhmmmm. Thats what my ex husband said.
Pants.
Just can't take that risk. Looks like I'm gonna have to save some more for brick-slips!

rachbc

the previous owners of my house had attempted this - it was shockingly awful

LeeSouthEast

You can get brick-effect wallpaper. It works remarkably well (never tried it, but know someone who did).

Halloway

Isn't that exposed brick look a bit passe? Or has it come back into fashion?

Dolly-Rocket

Halloway wrote: »

Isn't that exposed brick look a bit passe? Or has it come back into fashion?

I've never followed fashion. Its about personal taste I guess. I love anything in its natural state. Should have been born in a barn.

macman

Which walls are you talking about? Only your external and any party walls will be brick. The other will be stud walls (lathe and plaster if original). You'd have to leave them plastered.
If the brickwork was really good (which it won't be in a property of that age) then it might look OK. Otherwise I think it would look appalling and you would probably want to plaster it over again. Such walls were never designed to be left unplastered, just as Victorian woodwork was not designed to be left stripped.

Dolly-Rocket

Thanks MACMAN,
strangely have changed ones mind now.
What do you mean about woodwork? Does that include floorboards?

ormus

i remember a mate doing this on his chimney breast, many yrs ago now.
he nearly gassed the whole family.
after removing the plaster, the fumes from the fire came into the room thro the bricks!
he had to fit a chimney liner, and repoint all the brickwork properly.