Fireplace mural

Jynja · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 4:54 pm Post subject: Fireplace mural

So, I will post this here since it will be mosaiced eventually.

My friend Margo was the one I went to Philly with. And she has assisted me a little on my wall in the other thread. But she really wanted to start her own mosaic in her home on a 1960/70's brick fireplace. It's floor to ceiling.

The problem was that the brick facade had deep mortar grooves. And the brick is very uneven and rough.

We did have my partner come over and offer up his opinion. His opinion was "hire a professional. It will be messy and something you should leave to that professional at about $300+."

But Margo really wanted to do it herself. My fear took hold. What if I ruin her wall? What if this doesn't work?

So, yesterday, we went to Daltile and bought some mortar mix (my fave in the prebagged mix type) and to HD for trowel and gloves and fortifier. This morning we went for it. Originally we started off with the trowel, thinking we would only do a small patch to see how it holds up, forgoing the option of nailing up chickenwire.

In the end, we used our hands, and smooshed it up the wall and into the deep grooves, after painting on the fortifier. It worked well ! We have one little area left to do, but we rant out of mortar. I can see that one more coat and a layer of thinset is all we need to level the wall. And for the first application, hands worked best. Last application will need a leveling trowel.
Not much different than spackling a wall.

Just with one layer of mortar over the fireplace, it looks better already. Friday, we go shopping for a slab remnant for the mantle, which is low to the floor.

Incidently, she is a ceramic artist. So, most of her wall will be tiled with tile that she makes.

Anyway, pics to come as soon as she emails them to me.

J
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Occupation: Minute detailer for the Universe

Jynja · Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:04 pm Post subject:

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vikki · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 12:08 pm Post subject:

that will be a killer mural when you get it all done. does she have an idea what she will be doing on it yet?

EdB · Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2010 3:38 pm Post subject:

Wow, not sure if I'd have taken on this project ! Am looking forward to the pics as they come !!
Ed
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So many things to build .. so little time !

WildWorldWoman · Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 5:39 am Post subject:

You are indeed a brave woman, Jynja! Please share more as this progresses! I'm with you with regard to "hands on" ... I have never learned to use a trowel to apply mix. But once the mix is applied, I have no problem using a trowel to smooth and level.
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Jynja · Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 4:46 pm Post subject:

Here's the fireplace after one coat of thinset. Now remember, we elected to do this ourselves.

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Xtal · Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 9:27 pm Post subject: Please post more pics

Jynja,

PLEASE post the next set of pictures. I'm dying to see what images you have going on there.

Xtal
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admin · Site Admin

"Now remember, we elected to do this ourselves. "

Reminds me of some lines from an old Steve McQueen western in which he is relating his rationale about something to another cow poke...

"It's kinda like this old cowboy I knew once who took off all his clothes and jumped into a big ol' bunch of cactus. When we asked him why he did it, he said...'well, it just seemed like a good idea at the time'".
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DAVE · Posted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 8:42 pm Post subject: Blow you away Murals ...

I found this recently through a Landscape Industry Publication
www.cbdpools.co.uk
Thought you might like it.
Dave

Jynja · Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 11:53 pm Post subject:

Wonderful Dave, thanks for the link. I bookmarked it to go back many times and look.

I will be going over to help with the grouting process in September, so shall take pics. It's basically done, other than that. Even the slab is in place.

This is a friend of mine's project, not my own. I only assisted in the process as she had not done anything like it before. Most of the tiles were made by her, as she is a ceramic artist.

its pretty cool looking.

Photos to come.

J
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Occupation: Minute detailer for the Universe