How to Thinset Brick on a Backsplash

Brick can add warmth and texture to almost any wall, including a kitchen backsplash. Thinset is commonly used as tile adhesive, but it also works for certain brick installations, such as brick veneer. If your backsplash is large, mix small amounts of thinset at a time to prevent it from hardening before you can use it. Full-thickness bricks are not appropriate for a thinset application. If you desire full bricks instead of brick veneer, you will need a thick-set installation, which includes a moisture barrier, metal lathe and two layers of masonry mortar under the bricks.

Fine-particle dust mask
Safety goggles
Dry thinset mortar mix with latex additive
Measuring cup
Bucket
Power drill
Mixing paddle
Notched trowel
Tile spacers, 3/8-inch
Tuck-point trowel

Instructions

- 1
  Fasten the rod of a mixing paddle to a power drill’s chuck.
- 2
  Put on safety goggles and a fine-particle dust mask.
- 3
  Measure out the amount of dry thinset mortar that is needed to cover the backsplash area, and put it into a bucket. Square foot coverage will be listed on the thinset package.
- 4
  Measure out the appropriate amount of water, based on the amount of dry mix used, and put it into the bucket.
- 5
  Push the mixing paddle into the material in the bucket. Turn the drill to a low setting. Blend the thinset until no dry particles remain. Stop mixing as soon as the material is blended, as thinset will begin to harden around the paddle.
- 6
  Lift the paddle out of the thinset, but keep it inside the bucket. Turn on the drill to spin the excess thinset off the paddle inside the bucket, then turn off the drill and set it on newspaper.
- 7
  Scoop up thinset on the edge of a notched trowel.
- 8
  Spread thinset on the wall with the trowel, leaving ridges through the material with the notches on the trowel’s edge. Cover only a few square feet at a time, or as much as you can cover with brick within approximately five minutes.
- 9
  Press the bottom row of brick against the thinset. Insert a 3/8-inch tile spacer into the corners between each brick. Spread more thinset and add more bricks across and up the wall until the backsplash is complete.
- 10
  Scrape out excess thinset from the joints carefully with a tuck-point trowel, which is narrower than a masonry trowel.

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