How to attach wall panel to a brick wall?

[colleenwatson62]

I live in Western Australia, and our walls are brick with plaster screened over the brick.

It would be great to have videos of how to attach wood panels to brick walls and other attachments to brick walls, such as curtain racks.

What goes on a stud wall can go on a brick wall, but the process of attachment is a little different.

[JacobZ]

Hi @colleenwatson62,

Thank you for your question and welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is fantastic to have you with us.

There are many ways to attach things to brick, but the easiest and most common is to use wall plugs.

These are an expansion-style anchor, that require you to predrill a hole in the brick using a masonry bit of the correct size as defined by the plug manufacturer. They are designed in a way, that a screw driven into the plug, forces the plug to expand outwards, anchoring everything in place with friction.

I've found this video, Ramset™ Universal Anchor, on Ramset's YouTube page that displays a very similar product with the same principle for anchoring. You might like to have a watch for a visual guide to the principles described above.

There are also more heavy-duty anchors such as these AnkaScrews and DynaBolts which are used when higher strength connections are required.

These are some videos of them in use Ramset™ Masonry Anchors, Ramset™ AnkaScrew Faster, Easier, Stronger.

If there was a specific project you were looking to carry out, I would be more than happy to help.

If you could advise some details and include some photos, that would help a great deal.

Let me know if you need any further assistance.

Jacob

[colleenwatson62]

Hi Jacob

the link below is what I would like to do

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/t5/Featured-Projects/VJ-panelling-feature-wall/ta-p/74695

[JacobZ]

Hi @colleenwatson62,

When installing sheet materials over brick or concrete it is always best to batten out the wall with timber or furring channel. In your case, timber would be better as EasyVJ is typically installed with brad nails and glue.

My suggestion is to install 70x35 Framing Timber, with the 70mm side flat on the wall. These can be attached at 450mm centres using Ramset 8 x 50mm Blue Wall Plugs Blue and Zenith 60mm Galvanised Countersunk Rib Head External Timber Screws.

Once the battens are installed, the EasyVJ can be installed over the top following the method set out in their installation guide.

This could be a bit tricky for a beginner and would require quite a few tools. It may be worth considering having a carpenter do this work for you.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

[colleenwatson62]

Hi

Thanks for that

With the frame it would encroach into the room more than I would like.

Would I have to do the same if I were doing a Timber panel wall, or strong liquid nails that could be used and taped to hold it while drying? 

[JacobZ]

Hi @colleenwatson62,

Unfortunately, there is no advisable method of installation for timber or MDF sheets over a brick wall that doesn't involve timber battens or furring channels being installed between the sheet and the wall. 

There are several reasons for this, the main two being moisture issues and differences in thermal expansion.

Brick walls can be prone to moisture and dampness, especially if they are exterior walls or lack proper waterproofing. MDF is highly sensitive to moisture and can swell, warp, or degrade when exposed to it. The glue used to attach MDF may also lose its effectiveness in damp conditions.

Thermal expansion is an issue because both MDF and brick expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity, but they do so at different rates. This differential movement can cause the adhesive bond to weaken over time, leading to detachment or warping of the MDF panels.

If you are looking to install MDF or timber panelling, the only method I can comfortably advise is to batten it out.

Another option you could consider is attaching a moisture-resistant plasterboard and then creating your features using timber or MDF mouldings. You might like to check out 3 ways to create a feature wall and 5 feature walls with wainscoting for some inspiration.

Moisture resistant plasterboard such as Gyprock Aquachek can be installed directly to brick walls using Drywall Masonry Adhesive. You could then attach timber battens to the plasterboard using Liquid Nails and brad nails to create a feature similar to the image you've shown.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob