How to Build a Brick Ceiling

Traditional Brick Ceilings

• The traditional method for building a brick ceiling involves a vaulted ceiling that supports its own weight. Vaulted ceilings are composed of bricks, stone and mortar. They are expensive and time-consuming projects, requiring an interior scaffold to provide the ceiling form and a great deal of masonry work to ensure that the ceiling is strong enough to stand on its own. While vaulted brick ceilings can be found in older buildings, they are not common in residential homes and not practical for most homeowners.

Brick Veneer

• Brick veneer ceilings are a more affordable, simpler option for homeowners who want the look of brick ceilings. Brick veneer is a thin layer of cut brick, with a natural brick surface but only a portion of the weight and mortar as a vaulted brick ceiling. Brick veneer is installed with lime-based mortar, giving it a look that is indistinguishable from a full brick ceiling. As long as the mortar is mixed properly, and the ceiling's frame is strong enough to support the its weight, the brick veneer can remain in place indefinitely.

Barrel Ceilings

• Brick veneer can be installed on a barrel ceiling, which is a curved ceiling that resembles a dome or rounded tunnel interior. Barrel ceilings are most easily built using kits, which use curved lumber for structural framing. The entire ceiling structure sits beneath the homes roof trusses, meaning the it only supports the weight of the ceiling that hangs from it, not the roof above it. Once the ceiling frame is in place, it is suitable for plastering and adding brick veneer.

Alternatives

• There are also several alternatives to authentic brick ceilings that bring a faux brick look to your ceiling without any of the weight or cost of installing bricks or brick veneer. Faux brick ceilings can take the form of painted drywall or carved foam. Another option is installing a plaster ceiling and scoring it with a trowel to give it a brickwork pattern, which can be painted when dry to resemble any type of brick.