# Forum Home Renovation Brickwork  Removing glaze from bricks

## ParisAndAnthea

Does anyone have experience with removing the glaze from existing brickwork? 
Recently bought a 1944 weatherboard cottage in Hobart and the fireplace is surrounded by shiny glazed red bricks. It gives it a horrible kitsch 60's / 70's feel that makes me shudder. 
If I have to I'll paint them, but I'd prefer to get the glaze off and be left with what I envisage as a rustic natural finish. 
My thought so far is using a wire-brush head on a drill to try and progressively abraid the glaze off.  
Any better thoughts?

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## phild01

If anything might work I would be trying a diamond grit disc in an angle grinder, lots and lots of dust though! 
 like this one:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1-X-100-mm-TURBO-DIAMOND-GRINDING-CUP-WHEEL-DISC-STONE-BRICK-CONCRETE-/111508457638

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## Uncle Bob

Maybe etching them with acid could work.

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## METRIX

You will find it hard to remove it successfully, remember it was fired on at very high temperatures, perhaps a small sandblaster would do it.

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## johnc

I've seen one attempt at deglazing, it looked dreadful, far better to paint them. I don't fancy acid I doubt it would work on the glaze, sandblast would be more effective. You could just remove those bricks and use something you prefer.

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## Uncle Bob

How about chipping the front away with a hammer and bolster?
(Yep, just chucking ideas out there  :Smilie:  )

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## Oldsaltoz

A Cup grinder on an angle grinder will remove the glaze, but it will take weeks to clean up the dust. 
Have you considered rendering with a epoxy based product? 
Good luck and fair winds.   :Smilie:

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## dmac

If you have a decent compressor, one of these will take the glaze of anything.   
A needle de-scaling gun.

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## johnc

You could just sand and cement render, with a bit of additive, all seems a bit boganish or Kath and Kim to me.

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## phild01

> If you have a decent compressor, one of these will take the glaze of anything.   
> A needle de-scaling gun.

  Reckon this is the best option, might be fun with Bunnies explaining it :Biggrin:

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## Bloss

I'd be tiling or otherwise covering over them not trying to remove the glaze. As suggested you could get a small amount of hydrochloric (aka muriatic) acid and test on a small area - using full safety precautions, but I doubt it will work. Once tested or more if it works you will need to neutralise with a washing soda solution. Any mechanical means will create much dust as said above. 
But using construction adhesive and tiling would give an OK result and allows you flexibility as to colour, shape and design.

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## intertd6

Just wait 20 years & that style will be back in vogue again, the needle gun would do it but remember the needles are sometimes carbide & it toxic if inhaled when they wear away.
regards inter

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## PlatypusGardens

Jesus, this sounds like A LOT of work.
a whole house? 
A light roughing and either paint or render would be the go.

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## Oldsaltoz

> Reckon this is the best option, might be fun with Bunnies explaining it

  The old needle gun, I can recall spending many hours under the tropical sun on a hot steel deck removing rust, not sure how it would handle brick glaze though?

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## Marc

You can hire a Festool RGP 80 or similar tool, and grind away the glaze with no dust whatsoever.  RGP 80 Renovation Grinder - Festool Australia
All the other suggestions are probably just as valid. Short of looking the other way, or hanging a picture over it, I think everything else has been covered, ha ha.

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## PlatypusGardens

> You can hire a Festool RGP 80 or similar tool, and grind away the glaze with no dust whatsoever.  RGP 80 Renovation Grinder - Festool Australia

  
That's cool!    :Smilie:

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## Blocker

> Does anyone have experience with removing the glaze from existing brickwork? 
> Recently bought a 1944 weatherboard cottage in Hobart and the fireplace is surrounded by shiny glazed red bricks. It gives it a horrible kitsch 60's / 70's feel that makes me shudder. 
> If I have to I'll paint them, but I'd prefer to get the glaze off and be left with what I envisage as a rustic natural finish. 
> My thought so far is using a wire-brush head on a drill to try and progressively abraid the glaze off.  
> Any better thoughts?

  Try a coat of MATT polyurethane (Estapol or similar) on a small area.
Regards,
Blocker.

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## Moondog55

Just suggest the finish to the new "Block" program and in a week it will be the height of fashion again
I have to say tho that I always liked the look myself; reminds me of my Grans huge open fireplace which was surrounded by red glazed bricks
Have you tired highlighting the red glaze with similar toned curtains/cushions etc

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