While working on our garage mudroom renovation, I realized the brick and block steps leading from the garage to the house were not matching the modern vibe we were trying to create in the garage. Since the steps were in great shape, we decided we weren’t going to rip them up and re-do them but instead try a German smear technique to give them a more subtle appearance. This was my very first time grouting anything on my own but Brad said he trusted me so I ran with that!
Supplies needed:
Grout – I used the color Snow White from Home Depot
Tools needed:
Step 1 – Clean the surface.
Before starting, I cleaned the bricks really good. I used a vacuum to suck up any loose debris then I scrubbed the bricks with soapy water to remove any excess dirt. I let them dry completely before moving on to the next step.
Step 2 – Mix the mortar.
To mix the mortar, I dumped about half the bag of grout into my 5 gallon bucket. I added about 3-4 cups of water to start and mixed with the paddle attached to the drill. This can be a little messy so I would put something under the bucket if you don’t want it getting on the floors. The goal is to get the mortar to a peanut butter like consistency so I just kept adding water or mortar until I reached the consistency I wanted.
Step 3 – Apply the mortar.
Once the mortar was the right consistency, I just starting applying it on the bricks and smearing it around with the float. I was focused on pressing in into the seams between the bricks and I could really be as messy as I wanted because a German smear is a messy look. I allowed the mortar to dry about 20 minutes then went back over it with a wet sponge and wiped off the excess. I wanted some bricks to show through more than others so on a few of them, I wiped off more mortar than others. This part you can just play with until you get the desired look you are after. I worked in small areas, one step at a time so that way it wasn’t drying too much before wiping off.
Step 4 – Remove the haze.
After the grout dries, (I waited about 4-5 hours) there still might be a haze on some of the bricks. I mixed a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water and used a rag to remove some of the haze on the bricks, especially the bricks I wanted to show through more.
Step 5 – Seal the bricks.
It is important to seal the bricks and grout once finished. The prevents staining in the future. I waited until the next day to ensure the grout was completely dry before applying the sealer. I used a liquid sealer and applied with a paint brush. I would allow the sealer to fully cure according to the manufacturer’s recommendation before resuming normal use.
And that’s all there was to it! Applying a German smear look to bricks is such a beginner friendly project because the less perfect it is, the better!! What do you think? Is this something you would like to try!?
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