Slurry Coat vs. Overgrouting
for context: my grandma’s house!
We’re going to tackle the bigger conversation of most valuable home renovations coming shortly, but some of the info below might just help you in that conversation… FYI!
For now, thought, we’re talking about my two favorite brick treatments that, in my humble opinion, will elevate your space in an instant.
Something you should know: I’m team brick. My grandmother had a beautiful home in Bethesda, Maryland that was this gorgeous brick in all the different shades of red you could see. I was 12 when she moved, and I told myself I would buy it back when I was older… a big L.O.L. to that, the housing market in that area is slightly different than it was in 1949 when it was built, so for now, it’s out of my price range!
Then in college, I was lucky enough to live with a bedroom that had a fireplace - not a working one, I honestly think the chimney was cemented through, but a fireplace nonetheless. It was made of brick and painted white, but the thing I remember most was the textured look of it - it wasn’t the smooth brick look that I was used to seeing, it was nubby and textured… and I liked it!
It took roughly a handful of years before I heard the term ‘Slurry Coat’ and I’m 87% sure that’s what was going on in my college fireplace in Morgantown, WV… or it was just years and years of being painted over, who is to say?! Either way, I became obsessed with figuring out ways to incorporate slurried and over grouted looks into the INTERIORS of a home, rather than just the exterior. Exterior brick is amazing, but I love bringing the popular elements of the outside in.
Let’s chat about a Slurry Coat vs. Over-Grouting
A FEW DEFINITIONS THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL:
Grout: The filler between tiles that acts as an additional bonding agent, as well as prevents cracks/chips along the edge of the tile. Made with enhanced cement and sometimes sand, it can also include sealers/additives to assist with the resistance of moisture and/or staining.
Thinset: The adhesive that bonds the tile to the hard surface. The mix is made from fine sand, cement and water. Typically used for ‘lighter’ materials, like tile.
Mortar: The adhesive that bonds heavier materials - like brick, stone, etc. - to the hard surface. The ingredients include lime, water, sand and cement.
Time for the good stuff!
WHAT IS SLURRIED BRICK?
The simplest definition would be a white washed brick: elevated. To create a slurried look, you take a mortar or grout base and lather (for lack of a better term) over your brick with a trowel and then wiped off the surface to create variance in it’s thickness. The completed look will give you an overall soft, textural dream that will take your home into next level chic.
marie flanagan interiors
How amazing would this look as a beautiful accent wall in an entry or a bedroom?! I just love how much of a bring-the-outdoors in vibe brick brings that adding this texture to it will elevate it to a level that will make your neighbors do a double take.
OVER-GROUTING?
Over-grouting is where you take grout (or, again, a mortar mixture - i’ve found that has been better to work with) and re-line between the brick until it looks overstuffed and then smoothed out in a way that wraps the brick without completely covering it. It similarly softens like the slurry, but while keeping that organic edge in the exposed brick.
atlanta home & lifestyle
This look is my personal preference. I think it’s because of how much I love the peek of natural brick that shines through the grout/mortar.
Chris Loves Julia showed a before and after of the process in their bedroom and I think it give a great example of the dramatic effect:
Are you KIDDING me?! Let me start by saying that natural stone and brick is already such a beautiful item to work with, but, for me, this additional step of over-grouting adds so much. Also - additional benefit alert - it’s fairly inexpensive to DIY!
