How To Design A Mortar Washed Brick Floor
From brick style to grout color. Herringbone to horizontal. Find a gallery of inspiration and learn how to design a mortar-washed brick floor!
If you have been following along with us as we renovate our third fixer-upper, the French Country Cottage, then you know about the reclaimed brick we bought to DIY a mortar-washed brick floor in the foyer and the sunroom.
We bought two skids of bricks (almost 1,100 bricks) for only $400 and saved THOUSANDS of dollars by cutting our own thin brick tiles. Want to install your dream brick flooring for only a fraction of the cost? Then be sure to read How To Make Your Own Thin Brick Tiles (it’s really not as hard as you might think!).
For more home decor and design tips then be sure to check out:
- The Best Way to Clean Copper
- 29 Organization Ideas When Designing A Kitchen
- Stress Less and Save More When Renovating A Kitchen
- How To Make Your Own Thin Brick Tiles
- 45 BEAUTIFUL White Cabinet Kitchen Ideas
- How To Build A Countertop With Reclaimed Wood Flooring
Let’s explore how to design a mortar-washed brick floor!
I had to put this picture first because I mean wow. The door. The floor. The walls. The vignette.
Everything about this photo is speaking my language and is exactly the feeling I am going for in the large laundry/craft room and mud hall in Our French Country Home we will build. #designgoals
How to Design a Mortar Washed Brick Floor
#1. Choose Bricks and Mortar
The first step is choosing which bricks you want to use and then deciding on a mortar or grout color.
Zach and I bought two skids of reclaimed brick from one of our local greenhouses. They had it as a walkway for years, and then they replaced it.
From trash to treasure!
But for those of you exploring pre-made brick it is helpful to see photos from what others have done.
- Grout – Polyblend Sanded Grout in Antique White
- Brick – Old Mill Brick from Home Depot in the color Rushmore
If you click on Cedar Lane Farmhouse you will find a great tutorial with some very helpful tips when laying down a brick floor.
This is a lighter mortar wash effect, but still leaves a strong farmhouse, vintage vibe.
- Brick – Old Mill Brick from Home Depot in the color Castle Gate
- Grout – Polyblend sanded grout in Antique White
This herringbone pattern is fabulously done. If you click on Domestic Imperfection it will link you to a review of her brick floor one year later.
This is invaluable information for those of us wondering how much we will like our mortar-washed brick floor down the road!
I personally like more of a true white grout because I think it lightens the bricks and helps the colors pop, but they did a fabulous job at Domestic Imperfection.
- Brick – Crema Tile from Hope Depot
- Brick – Old Mill Brick from Home Depot in color Rushmore
Oh. my. goodness. This bathroom makeover at Jenna Sue Design has absolutely nailed the French Country Cottage style.
Absolutely everything about this bathroom is gorgeous. You will not be disappointed if you click on that link! #bathroomgoals
- Brick – MSI Brick from Home Depot in Rustico Color
- Bricks – Old Chicago bricks from Vintage Brick Salvage
- Grout – True White
Ok. These next two NAILED it. Absolutely stunning.
Check out the IG account at Farmhouse 4010. Her laundry room is perfection. I love the soft patina of the gray/green cabinets with the farmhouse sink and reclaimed brick floor. #laundryfordays.
- Bricks – Reclaimed Old Chicago Brick
- Grout – Super White Mortar
There is a good reason I have 3 pictures of the reclaimed brick stove surround from Our Coastal Farmhouse.
This is not a floor, but the colors, the herringbone patterned backsplash combined with the vertically patterned arch and horizontally patterned surround??!
Just wow. Similar to Farmhouse 4010 above, it feels that the colors are so much more pronounced against a true white grout or mortar. I also love the heavier mortar wash.
How to Design a Mortar Washed Brick Floor
#2. Design the Pattern.
Herringbone Pattern
This is also an amazing floor and you should definitely click to the account of South Met North to see more photos for inspiration.
There are no sources listed for her floor, but they did this flooring themselves with reclaimed brick. #diyinspiration
How to Design a Mortar Washed Brick Floor
#2. Design the Pattern.
Linear Pattern
Source
I wish I knew the source of this picture because the color scheme is just gorgeous. I love the soft greenish/gray walls with this brick.
That paint almost looks like Sea Salt by Benjamin Moore.
How to Design a Mortar Washed Brick Floor
#2. Design the Pattern.
Mixed Pattern
Texas Forever Farmhouse is another account you will not regret clicking to!!
This is almost exactly what I am envisioning from a layout standpoint for our foyer entrance.
I am wondering though for the very small foyer floor we have if I shouldn’t just skip the border and go all herringbone?
Does the border visually create a smaller appearing space? Maybe.
How to Design a Mortar Washed Brick Floor
#3. Get it done!
**Post UPDATE**
Shop this post below to start designing your own floor, and keep scrolling to see what our foyer looks like now.
We did the same mortar-washed brick floor technique in our sunroom renovation as well.
All of that brick flooring, by the way, was the leftover bricks from AFTER we cut the thin brick tiles off for our kitchen backsplash, and our antique fireplace surround.
Don’t miss How To Make Your Own Thin Brick Tiles (it’s really not as hard as you might think), and learn how to install your dream brick flooring (or brick backsplash in the kitchen) for only a fraction of the cost.
For more home decor and design tips be sure to check out:
- How to Remove Jar Labels With This Simple Hack
- 5 Ideas to Design a Relaxing Bedroom
- 8 Ways to Decorate with Antique Dough Bowls
- 9 DIY Ideas to Repurpose a Glass Jar
- DIY Birchwood Centerpiece
- DIY Farmhouse Style Coffee Mug Pallet Rack
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How thick were the bricks you wound up using on your floor? I know you cut them yourself I just wondered at the approximate width since you had already cut the tiles off for your backslash. Is it rough on your feet to walk on? I have a bunch of reclaimed bricks I picked up from my son’s house he was going to take them to the dump and I have a wet saw, I would love to do this in my kitchen
They were approximately 1/2″ thick. Not sure if you saw this post or not, but here is how we cut our own thin brick. https://hammersnhugs.com/how-to-brick-tiles-reclaimed-bricks/ The sunroom floor was a lot lower and just a concrete slab so we used the leftover brick pavers and cut them in half, but on an interior floor like our foyer I would recommend 1/2″ thick. The key to interior brick flooring is smoothing out the grout really well because that is the part that can get rough and uncomfortable, but we loved our indestructible brick floors. I would definitely do it again. Good luck Michelle. My vote is go for it! 🙂
Hi,
We have Chicago brick throughout most of our home. My husband wants to replace all of it because it is to dark for him so I thought it would be a lot cheaper and look a lot better if I would do a German schmear with the bright white mortar. I love the French country look and I think this would be perfect for both of us. The current brick floor has a sealant on it so before I start do I need to remove the sealant and if so do you have any recommendations?
Hi Tabitha! I don’t think you would need to actually remove the sealant, but I would take a scrub brush with a mild detergent and really scrub the entire surface well before applying a mortar wash. It sounds beautiful!!
Could you use this same technique on exterior brick?
Absolutely! If a patio though you will want to lay down sand first. The design process is the same but the underlay would be different, if you will. Did that answer your question?
This is what it currently looks like. I just want to tone done the red. They are some weird looking bricks to start with. 🙂
The door and screen door are all black, but it needs some character.
Oh I see! Yes! This brick would be perfect for mortar wash because of the solid brick coloring underneath. You could definitely do a mortarwash or German smear here. It would be beautiful!
Like this porch foundation! https://welivedhappilyeverafter.com/diy-german-schmear-white-antique-brick-on-house-exterior-tutorial-video/
It’s GORGEOUS! Tell me…does the white mortar pick up dirt over time?
Thanks Amy! Yes it does get dirty but there are a lot of battery powered bristle mops that work really well to clean it. Honestly, I’ve been so pleased with our brick floors I will do it again when we build.
Hi there! We’re looking to do a brick/mortar floor in laundry & mud room but just wondering how uncomfortable it is on your feet? Looks so beautiful but if the surface is so rough & hard I’m not sure I can justify cosmetic over comfort?
Thanks & blessings,
Cathy
Ours are actually quite smooth. Make sure the grout is smoothed out really well and wiped down thoroughly. but I will do the brick again when we build!
Hi Anna,
Beautiful pictures of bricks. We recently laid both hand cut antique brick and Old Mill Castle mortar washed brick in our kitchen and guest bath…I’ve sealed it with Stonetech Bulletproof sealer, which seems to keep things from soaking into and staining the grout. My question is, do you know of a tool, that sweeps/mops rough surfaces like brick floors?
Oh do you have pictures?! I would love to see it! And yessssss!! This tool right here. I love it. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WTSV248?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Back again for more inspiration as I anxiously await the completion of our floor. AHHH! I have waited over 25 years since I first became a homeowner for my dream of brick kitchen floor to come true! Love this post!
I cannot WAIT to see your floor!! I will need to do a follow up post and add yours!!! ?
this *might* be the source of your entry photo that you were searching for: https://www.instagram.com/p/Be-0rXLAB49/
Oh my word you are amazing! Yes that’s it!! Thanks so much. Excited to look at the rest of her house. Ha. Thank you!!
Hi, im loving these pictures! i’ve seen those lowe’s thin brick, so pretty!! what color grout do yall think is best?
I personally like true white because I think it pops the bricks out more!
I am so excited! I just scored my thin brick pavers on closeout at Lowes for a steal! I have been wanting brick kitchen floors for years! We have long narrow kitchen so I definitely think the herringbone will be the way to go or else it will just make it look longer otherwise.
It may be a while until we get around to putting it down but when we do of course the makeover will be on the blog.
Great post!
Oooo that is so exciting!! Which color did you get?? Our brick floor reveal is coming soon, but I can’t wait to see how yours turns out!
Beautiful floors and more you’ve found, Ahna! I do love mortar washed brick (now that I know what it’s called). So pretty!!! How lucky to have found some reclaimed brick ~ enjoy laying them. My husband, daughter and I laid travertine diagonally at our last home in California and though it’s difficult to get perfectly level across the floor, after a while it comes pretty naturally.
Oh! Yes, you’ll want some kind of definition between flooring types, hence why this person put down the brick border between the entry and the carpet. It’d look awful otherwise. Plus you’d cut your feet on the herringbone’s pointed edges. Just a thought. 😉
Happy bricking and Happy Memorial Day to you! Saw your post over at Thursday Favorite Things with Amber and thought I’d come read. Thanks!
Blessings to you,
Barb 🙂