Project Exposing Antique Brick Walls -Chapter 1

One of the most physically laborious yet incredibly rewarding historic building renovation projects we’ve tackled so far has been exposing antique brick walls in our manor. It took weeks of slow work and long days, but the end result, raw, original brick, is absolutely stunning and worth every bit of elbow grease. If you’re curious about revealing exposed brick in an old home, I hope our experience inspires you to dig in, quite literally.

This project is part of Our Manor on Main, where we’re restoring a historic building into our dream home while preserving as much original charm as possible. There is something special about bringing hidden architectural history back to life.

A Bit Of Backstory

Our Manor in located in the Midwest and was first constructed in 1906. It has been a plethora of different businesses since then. What started out as a one-story drug store, soon became a two-story drug store and medical practice. It was once a shoe store, a laundromat, and is now my boutique and future dream home.

There has been so many different interior design styles since then, however, one thing was there for it all, just sitting under the surface….these beautiful antique brick walls.

If these walls could talk, I wonder what stories they could share. I have heard tales of bootlegged moonshine, first dates sharing milkshakes, granddaughters playing in their grandfather’s store, fights that have broken out on stairwells, and railroaders staying in for the evening. I think my very own mother had told me that she used to buy shoes there with my grandmother when she was a child. How neat is that?!

Saying Goodbye to A Piece of History

When we first bought this building, it came with a historical mural. Not saying that this was not great, it just was not what we had originally envisioned in our space. The details were actually quite charming and I love the fact that they did this in what could have been just an ordinary laundromat. It makes this place even more unique and I am really glad that my mother and I saved a piece of it to frame later as a little memento of times past.

As you can see in this photo below, the wall itself was not in the best of shape. The peeling paint and crumbling plaster desperately needed addressing.

Why We Chose to Reveal the Brick

At first, we considered simply repainting the plaster walls a neutral color. But after doing a little research, I learned that many older buildings, especially pre-World War II structures, were built with brick firewalls. These historic bricks could be a true statement piece once revealed. So instead of covering them up, we decided to expose the antique brick, preserving as much of the original as possible and enhancing the historical character of the space.

Gathering Tools for a Historic Renovation Project

Before getting started, my mom and I headed to the hardware store to gather what we needed: chisels, safety goggles, masks, and protective clothing. We even picked up a lead testing kit, just to be sure we were taking proper safety precautions. When working with old plaster and structure, it is important to consider things like lead and other historic building materials.

Once we had our gear, we were ready to start chipping away at the wall.

Slow and Steady Progress

At first, the progress felt tiny. After about five minutes of chiseling, we uncovered our first small brick. In that moment, we were so excited. Bit by bit, plaster gave way to original brick, and we just could not wait to see more.

There is a truth in projects like this. It is messy, it is slow, and it is physical work. But the more brick we uncovered, the more thrilling it became. It is addictive to peel back the layers of history and reveal what was once hidden.

Community and Hands That Helped

In the beginning you are running off of pure excitement and it really keeps you going. However, after about 3 days of constant chiseling, body aches, wrist braces, and exhaustion, you realize just how long something like this was going to take. Sure I could use a power chiseler tool to get the job done much faster, but sometimes those do way more damage to antique brick than they help. We did not want to take that risk. Paying someone to come in here to do this would have cost thousands that I simply did not have. We decided to recruit help.

My Sweet Friend Katie

First to the rescue was a dear friend from high school named Katie. She jumped right in and just having her around put a fresh new wind in our sails! Katie was such an incredible help and I owe her so much for pitching in. She worked hard with us for several long days and it really made a difference!

Between the three of us, we were able to finish one whole wall. At 83 feet long, and 14 foot tall, that is ALOT of ground to cover. Not only did we have to chisel, we had to continue to clean up the HUGE debris piles that accumulated in order to get the ladder where it needed to be.

We were like The Three Musketeers! So much fun was had with her and these are memories that I will cherish forever.

An Ode To Stephanie

Katie did not live locally anymore so unfortunately she had to go back home. She sure earned some R&R after her trip! Another one of my friends had offered to help and I jumped at the opportunity to have her!

Stephanie is one of those great people who can always make you laugh. She is the kind of friend who no matter what you are doing, you know you’ll have a great time. I was excited to have her come and help!

Even though I am pretty sure she injured herself during this day, we still had so much fun!

My Brother and my nephew even came to pitch in! We did not have enough chisels so we started getting creative with the tools we were using. If you notice that we are not wearing our protective suits anymore it is because they kept getting shredded from all of the falling plaster. We simply decided to go without.

Having people that you love around to help you build your dream vision is a special kind of thing. It meant so much that others were willing to dedicate their time in assisting us. It makes Our Manor On Main even that much more special, because it was built with love. ❤

The Cleanup and Why It Matters

Once a wall section was fully exposed, we had enormous piles of plaster debris everywhere. It took hours of shoveling, scooping debris into buckets, and hauling it out to a trailer. My mom always joked that I was great at making messes, and she was great at cleaning them up!

Every renovation project brings its own kind of mess. But as weary as the cleanup was, it was also a moment of pride because we knew what this wall would become: something beautiful and meaningful..

If you ever find yourself doing a project like this or any kind of home project that requires you to haul things, I highly suggest investing in one of these wagons. We continue to use this for everything especially our many projects in this building. It is well worth what we paid for it.

To clean up, we shoveled all of the mountains of plaster rocks, filled these buckets, and wheeled them out to the trailer. This took several trips as you can imagine. It was also very exhausting work! Mom was such a champ though and before long, we had the whole place swept clean.

Why Exposed Brick Matters in Historic Restoration

While some people might see clutter and rubble, old brick tells a story. When you reveal historic brick, you not only uncover architectural character but also connect more deeply with the place’s past. Every chip and crack becomes part of a building’s narrative.

Uncovering brick is dusty and slow, but the sense of uncovering history makes it worth every bit of effort.

What’s Next? Check out Part 2 below!

Now that the plaster has been removed and the original brick wall fully revealed, the next phase sealing the exposed brick so it stays beautiful for decades to come. I cannot wait to share that part with you.

Check out Project Exposing Antique Brick Walls– Chapter 2 (posted below) where I will show you how we put the finishing touches on this exposed historic brick and brought it to life without losing its raw, original charm.

XO, Bri

Here are a few fun photos from this project:

More From Our Manor Renovation Journey

If you’ve been following along with our old building renovation, these posts share more of Our Manor renovation journey, from restoring history to slowly building a home filled with memories, patience, and purpose.

Creating a Cozy Home

Even as we restore this old building, there are small, everyday moments that make a home feel warm and lived-in. These posts share simple homemaking tips, cozy routines, and intentional touches that turn a house into a home.

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