43 BEST German Schmear (AKA German Smear) Projects

43 Jaw-Dropping German Schmear (AKA German Smear) Brick Examples…

German schmear. Or German smear. Perhaps it’s a term you’ve never heard. But I’m betting it’s a look you’ve seen. And if you made it here, I’m guessing it’s a look that you and I both like. A lot.

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Many of us have brick somewhere in our homes, be it outside or in. And unfortunately, that brick may not be pretty, but rather outdated at best, and ugly at worst. Figuring out what to do with it can be a challenge because it’s an expensive building material.

If you rip it out and replace it, even if it’s only on a small area like a fireplace surround, you could be looking at spending thousands of dollars. And if you’re a DIY’er that price tag also comes with a hefty side of manual labor ripping down Humpty and putting him back together again.

But if you’re a bit more on the thrifty side, and perhaps a tad brave, then there are some GREAT alternatives to update outdated brick. Namely:

Ways to update outdated/ugly brick:

german smear (AKA “mortar wash”
whitewashing
limewashing
painting

A quick review of these brick techniques:

Because there’s a lot of confusion on the web about these techniques and the differences between them, let’s do a quick review before we delve into all the beautiful German smear pics.

1.) Painting:

Painting is exactly what it sounds like. Taking some paint, a brush and/or roller and slapping it on your brick. Didn’t know you could do that? Well, you can.

The caveat is that you need to make sure you use the RIGHT type of paint for your specific application. If you’re painting exterior paint, use exterior paint. And vice versa for an interior job. YES, you can use regular latex paint.

For best results, consult with the folks at your local paint counter. They’ll help steer you in the right direction of the best product for your job. Painting your brick will give you a very uniform look once complete. You will still see the texture of the brick, but variations in shading/color of the brick will be completely covered.

2.) Whitewashing:

Whitewashing is a simple modification to regular, old painting. Instead of slapping paint directly onto your brick, you’ll water it down first. How much you water it down depends on the look you are wanting to achieve. More watery = a more transparent finish (more brick will show through). Less water = a more opaque finish (less brick will show through).

Whitewashing will not give you a perfectly uniform finish in the same way that paint will. We whitewashed our family room fireplace and wrote a whitewashing tutorial if you’d like to give that a look.

3.) Lime washing:

Lime washing uses a special type of paint, called a “slaked lime paint” to create a finish that’s quite similar to a whitewashed look, but this process gives you a bit more control about how the final result product looks. While whitewashing is really only one step (applying the whitewash), lime washing is a two-step process.

My friend Lauren at Bless’er House has a great, step-by-step tutorial on the limewash technique if you decide to go this route! First, you apply the lime wash and wait till it’s almost dry. At that point, you spritz sections with water and remove the product here and there to create a more mottled, vintage look with brick showing through more in some spots, and less in others. The product I’ve seen discussed and used most for this technique is this one.

4.) Mortar washing AKA German smear:

Last but not least, the German smear (AKA German schmear and also mortar wash), is another great way to update your outdated, ugly brick. It happens to be my absolute FAVORITE look, and what’s so great is that it is likely the most budget-friendly option on this list (unless we’re talking about a whole house, in which case, the whitewashing technique may come out on top).

The other three techniques are all rather similar in that you’re applying a paint/paint-type product to the brick. The German smear kind of stands on its own in that regard. For this technique, we’re using mortar (I recommend this brand OR this one) to apply to the brick. If you want step-by-step directions for the process, check out:

Our step-by-step instructions for the German smear!

The thing that to me makes this technique stand out from the pack is that allows you to be more selective than the other techniques as far as covering your brick goes. If you want some of the native brick to show through, then this is probably the best technique for you to try, in my opinion.

In the other types of brick updates, you cover everything, then go back and take some of the finish off. But in the German smear, you don’t have to cover everything. You can easily leave patches of brick completely alone so that the original brick will show through perfectly.

The other major difference between this technique and the rest is a matter of TEXTURE. Since the other techniques all employ a paint product, they don’t change the texture of the brick. A German smear will allow you to make the brick much more textured…but only if you want to. I’ve tried to include some examples below of variations in the textures that people have achieved with their mortar washes.

see more of our master bedroom here

To create a more textured look, you will simply apply MORE mortar, and leave the bulk of it in place. If you decide you want a smoother finish, then you’ll simply wipe more of the mortar off. It’s as easy as that.

One thing I will PROMISE you about ANY of these brick updates. That is…

The absolute hardest part of ANY of these brick updates is deciding to actually do it.

It’s true!! I know because I’ve been there several times! It is completely nervewracking deciding to take a paintbrush or a putty knife to your brick. It feels very daunting and permanent. Because it IS. And that’s what’s so scary. Once you start, there truly is no going back.

But here’s the thing. If you hate your brick the way it looks now, and you find yourself pinning and pining over whitewashed of german smeared brick all the time, then you just need to go ahead and slap on that paint or mortar, friend! I PROMISE it is not hard to do. And there’s no real right or wrong way to achieve this look. Check out the tutorial, then go for it.

Worst case scenario? You do a little section and hate it? Then you can go the paint route and end up with a nice, smooth coat of fresh paint over that 80’s ugly brick. It won’t have cost you too much in money or time, and I’m guessing you’ll be very happy you did it.

And if none of these options seems totally up your alley, then check out this post about DIY brick updates. You may find your winner there!

1. Anthony Wilder Design Build

Right out of the starting gates is one of the most gorgeous examples of this technique. If this exterior screams “perfection” to you, then you’re a fan of German smear.

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A post shared by Anthony Wilder Design Build (@anthonywilderdesignbuild) on Feb 28, 2017 at 9:51am PST

2. @design_build_project

A gorgeous fireplace german smear in a Victorian home being renovated in South Carolina.

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A post shared by Katherine-Design Central (@design_central_project) on Dec 25, 2018 at 10:48am PST

3. @loveleighcreativesoul

Here is an in-process shot of a mortar wash. No tape measure, no power tools…just “hmmm, this looks good here” and “maybe I need some more over there”. It’s an “artsy” process that requires you to kind of go with your gut.

Don’t trust your gut? Grab a partner. Between the two of you, I’m betting you’ll figure out what you like and don’t like.

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A post shared by Loveleigh | Jessica (@loveleighcreativesoul) on Oct 30, 2018 at 4:44pm PDT

4. Us! @heathered_nest

And here’s our first foray into the realm of German smear. We constructed this faux brick wall with a built-in electric fireplace (yes, that’s a real thing) as part of our master bedroom renovation project. Check out the full German smear tutorial I wrote HERE.

I said it before, and I’ll say it again. In my honest opinion, the ONLY hard thing about this mortar wash process is actually having the guts to put that first swipe of mortar onto your brick (or faux brick). Once you’ve done that, the rest is really quite simple!

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A post shared by Heathered Nest (@heathered_nest) on Jan 18, 2017 at 12:19pm PST

Before I move on to the rest of these gorgeous examples of German smear, let me just mention that if you prefer more of a uniform look, then perhaps a better choice for you is a brick whitewash. If you’d like to check that out, we tackled a fireplace whitewash in our home as well. The brick whitewash tutorial can be found here.

5. @foundandreloved

Do you see how there are sections of the bricks on this lovely fireplace that are completely untouched by the mortar? This is a hallmark of the mortar wash technique.

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A post shared by 🅺🆁🅸🆂🆃🆃🅸🅴 First T Is Silent.. (@foundandreloved) on Nov 23, 2018 at 12:58pm PST

6. @glimpsesofthesouth

A stunning house spotted in Marietta, GA.

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A post shared by Mary Miller (@glimpsesofthesouth) on Dec 1, 2018 at 11:01am PST

7. @tuckersbend

This look really lends itself well to the farmhouse aesthetic, doesn’t it?

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A post shared by Karen (@tuckersbend) on Jan 3, 2019 at 9:33am PST

8. @kingstonvignettes

Here is a lovely German schmear project found in a bedroom. People have used this technique successfully on everything from real brick, to thin brick veneers to brick paneling, and it looks lovely every time!

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A post shared by Eneida | Kingston Vignettes (@kingstonvignettes) on Dec 30, 2018 at 3:46pm PST

43 Jaw-Dropping German Schmear (AKA German Smear) Brick Examples…

Ways to update outdated/ugly brick:

A quick review of these brick techniques:

1.) Painting:

2.) Whitewashing:

3.) Lime washing:

4.) Mortar washing AKA German smear:

1. Anthony Wilder Design Build

2. @design_build_project

3. @loveleighcreativesoul

4. Us! @heathered_nest

5. @foundandreloved

6. @glimpsesofthesouth

7. @tuckersbend

8. @kingstonvignettes

11. @onepartrustic

14. @chippyvintagehippie

15. @cocoperez129

16. @nellyfriedel

18. @bloom.detroit

25. @polishedrenovations

26. @Northern.Rivers.Rendering

[email protected]_cozycoop

30. @hannahkatelyn

34. @potterybarnaus

[email protected]_smith_construction

41.Irwin Construction

42. Sawdust Girl

43. Dimples & Tangles

44. BONUS ROUND! @thegermanschmearhouse

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