Brick in the interior. Kitchen

I’ll start without any lengthy introductions: I want to use brick in the interior. The builders in the one-room apartment left a working brick wall in the kitchen untreated and not covered with plasterboard. This wall looks so stylish and lofty that I decided to abandon the traditional tiles on the kitchen backsplash and start working on brick.

It is impossible to leave natural clay bricks without some kind of impregnation (at least in the kitchen), since any splashes of fat and oil, and then attempts to wash them off, will remain bright spots on the brick. I tried to understand materials for processing and impregnation of brick and natural stone.

Impregnate for stone

A brick kitchen apron requires special protective impregnation. Brick in the interior requires special treatment. Clay is porous and breathable, so its pores and cracks will absorb any splashes - grease, detergent, oil. From a practical point of view, this is not scary, because household loads on a brick cannot lead to erosion and will not be exposed to frost, but no one will like aesthetically greasy stains on a brick.

Impregnate protects the stone from moisture, fats and household detergents. Its composition: siloxane compounds, polymers, carbohydrates. These substances penetrate the pores of the stone without stopping them and polymerize. There are environmentally friendly impregnates on sale that can be used on kitchen work surfaces and stone tiles. Impregnates do not allow wine and berry stains to form, and salts do not appear on the surface of the stone.

Impregnation is the best alternative to impregnation with varnish or wax, since clay continues to breathe during impregnation (this is why we love brick houses), and a film that can be erased over time does not form on its surface. There is no need to polish damaged wax or polymer.

Impregnates are often called water repellents and vice versa, they are included in the same group of materials.

Water repellent for bricks

Hydrophobizer is a water-repellent impregnation. Materials that have been treated with a hydrophobic composition absorb 15-25 times less water than materials without treatment. When it comes to interior finishing, water absorption is reduced to zero. How does a water repellent work? The impregnation penetrates the pores of the brick and reacts with them, forming sealants. Neither water, nor oil, nor fat penetrate into the clay structure. But at the same time, the material continues to breathe.

How water repellent works:

Prevents salt from reaching the surface of the brick.
Prevents mold and mildew spores from gaining a foothold.
Does not create a film and does not change the appearance of the brick (unless you choose a composition with a wet stone effect).
Reduces heat transfer.
Protects against ultraviolet radiation, acid and grease stains.
Gives resistance to abrasives and detergents, strengthens the surface.

Some water repellents are environmentally friendly and can be used on kitchen surfaces.

Brick varnish

I put brick varnish at the end of my processing list, since any varnish clogs the surface of the clay brick and the wall stops “breathing.” However, varnish is much cheaper than water repellents

Varnish for stone and brick provides:

heat resistance
water repellency
protection against mold and mildew.

There are three main compositions of varnish for stone (brick):

Sealing impregnation based on silicone and acrylic resins. Mixture for natural and artificial stone, paving slabs, concrete.
Solvent-based impregnations with silicone resins. Creates a crystal lattice, penetrating deeply into the surface of the stone. Does not peel off, does not fade.
Acrylic protective and decorative impregnation based on latex with the addition of silicone. Provides stone, brick and concrete protection from destruction and leaching, from salt and acids. Does not change the natural color of the stone and texture, easy to clean. Has a hydrophobic effect.

Examples of a brick wall in the kitchen

I want to share several ready-made kitchen designs with brick walls. Clay terracotta goes perfectly with white kitchen furniture and discreet Scandinavian-style finishes. The color of steel (household appliances) and bronze (in fittings) also harmonize. The brick color combines interestingly with dark furniture, but contrasting in shades - dark green and even black. However, when choosing dark surfaces, the room should be spacious and bright, with a high ceiling.

The pictures are clickable and enlarged:

Furniture in Provence style. Pay attention to the dark countertop.

Very cute and cozy. Interesting idea with a shelf for souvenirs around the perimeter of the room

In this project, the issue with the apron was solved with special glass.

One of the best color scheme projects I’ve ever come across.

Not the best combination of shades, but an interesting texture of the facades.

Minimalism in facades and brick is the best compromise.

The facades of this kitchen would hardly fit into a room with traditional decoration, but they are harmonious with brick.

The perfect kitchen. The restrained Scandinavian style desperately needed just such an addition.

A chic sideboard against the backdrop of a brick wall. Such antique things certainly won’t fit under a plasterboard multi-tiered ceiling (they’ve finally gone out of fashion)

A real loft in an ordinary apartment.

Very simple implementation of kitchen furniture in the style of the 80s, but how expensive and stylish it looks against the background of brick.

Not the best example of a color combination — related shades «kill» both the wall and the chic solid wood furniture. These elements will be good look good in different kitchens.

One of my favorite projects. I have never seen such an implementation of a countertop and a low apron in our kitchens. Stylish!

There is a huge range of varnishes for stone and brick - for any wallet, with many additional options (both decorative and functional). But I trust my brick wall in the kitchen with a water repellent. When the project is launched, I will definitely supplement this article with photos of the process of repairing and processing bricks.