Brick question

[froggirl]

hi all,
Do I use mortar or thinset to lay bricks on to concrete?
Thanks,
--f.g.

[Cosmic]

You could use either.

Motar if it is outside tends to fail rather quickly if it in a freezing climate. Thin set is probably a lot more expensive for a job but probably holds up a lot better. If using thin set, you probably have to seal the brick somehow to prevent staining and pick up as you place them and fill.

Best stuff I ever saw stones / bricks set in was some stuff used to make a grout base for setting heavy machinery. Was like steel and gripped ---- tight. Lasted for ever. Repair of even a few popped pieces was an all day job.

[froggirl]

Originally Posted by Cosmic

You could use either.

Motar if it is outside tends to fail rather quickly if it in a freezing climate. Thin set is probably a lot more expensive for a job but probably holds up a lot better. If using thin set, you probably have to seal the brick somehow to prevent staining and pick up as you place them and fill.

Best stuff I ever saw stones / bricks set in was some stuff used to make a grout base for setting heavy machinery. Was like steel and gripped ---- tight. Lasted for ever. Repair of even a few popped pieces was an all day job.

Cool...thanks Cosmic!
This will be for our stove hearth so maybe mortar will be ok. Wonder if I can spread the thinset on the floor then use mortar between the joints(?)
--f.g.

[Cosmic]

you could try it.

Set the bricks like setting tile. Let it set up and come back and do the normal motar / sand fill. Or even skip the fill and just set the bricks as tight as possible. Dust and sweep a very fine sand over it if you want a fill.

Might work better in that way. Pad would have more room to move. Many hearths built with thick tile use no in-fills / grouts. They are just set in thin set and placed tight.

Might depend on what "Look" you really want. Many ways to skin the same goat. Utilized projects like brick always work best if they have a containing border like a metal band or similar that contains the pad and keeps it from spreading even if the underlying bed or joints fail.

[froggirl]

[QUOTE=Cosmic]you could try it.

Set the bricks like setting tile. Let it set up and come back and do the normal motar / sand fill. QUOTE]

AH! Ok...that makes sense. I was invisioning having to do it like it's done when a brick wall is built....your suggestion make more sense.
Thanks again!
--f.g.