Welcome to Ask Andy, the go to place for those questions that you might need the answers too.
Today’s top top questions are featured below:
What is fire cement?
Fire Cement is a ready and mixed combination of thermosetting resins and inorganic fillers. When applied and exposed to high temperatures, this combination is capable of healing, which results in a mortar. This mortar is temperature resistant up to 1250oC
It is easy in its use in residential and commercial environments. It offers strong adhesive properties for metallic surfaces and for ceramic type materials. It can efficiently work on surfaces, such as fire bricks, concrete, and other masonry materials.
How do you set a brick slip?
This is common question which we see time and time again, methods and installing brick slips can vary from project to project.
Fundamentally the products need to be treated as a tile, and applied to the same guidelines.
Installing internally and externally is not a problem as long as the substrate is structurally sound and you are using the correct adhesive.
Cement based Adhesives work best!
Capable of bond strengths as high as epoxy. Cement based adhesives are on the whole the most reliable. Due to the ease of use and when in rapid set format initial grab, they offer the best performance across the installation.
Adhesive is not instant so you will need to support the first few courses until the initial grab has cured. This can be done with a timber batten fixed directly to the substrate or if working from ground level the support from the ground.
Can you remove brick slips?
Yes you can remove brick slips from a substrate. The simplest way of removing it is by steadily chipping it away.
Using a chisel, leverage bar, hammer, or power hammer chisel. You want to target the grout joint that links the brick slips together.
You will need to use leverage and loosen the individual brick slips one at a time working along so that they can be separated from the adhesive and mortar. Be extra careful around the windows or other vulnerable parts of the house.
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Hi Andy, We already have your Brick Slips waiting to be installed inside a brand new fake chimney breast behind an electric stove. Wooden framing was installed followed by wafer board then plaster board. A skim of plaster was applied to the whole structure a couple of days ago which we are now waiting to paint. What is the best curing time of the new plaster before the Brick Slips can be installed on the newly plastered board, unpainted I presume, and are there any other special instructions? Thank you in advance for any help you can give.