The short version
- German schmear (also spelled German smear or shmear) is a thin, uneven coat of mortar spread over brick and partly wiped back so some brick shows through.
- Use white pre-mixed mortar thinned to the consistency of sour cream, a 6" putty knife and a damp grout sponge.
- It only bonds to bare, unpainted brick. Clean the brick thoroughly first or the finish may yellow.
- Our fireplace took two 1-gallon buckets, several hours over three days and cost about $55.
- It's essentially permanent - work slowly, start in a hidden spot and build coverage in layers.
Disclosure: this post may mention products we used. See our disclosure for details.
I can't watch Fixer Upper without getting inspired by something. On one episode, Chip and Joanna were updating the exterior of a brick ranch. Instead of painting it, they applied mortar using a "schmearing" technique - and I fell in love. It was exactly the farmhouse / French cottage look I wanted. The only problem? I was living in a traditional, cookie-cutter house at the time. There wasn't a single thing in that home I could schmear (except my bagels).
Imagine how excited I was when we walked through the Dogwood House for the first time. Not only was the outside brick - there were two brick fireplaces inside. Finally, something to schmear.
Why we chose German schmear over paint
The fireplace was in great shape, just outdated. The dark red brick (plus the wood paneling) made a small room feel dark and even smaller. In our first house we painted the brick fireplace, and there was nothing wrong with that - but this time I wanted something more rustic and antique. That's exactly what the German schmear technique gives you: brick that looks like it has been there for a hundred years, with the texture and a hint of the original color still showing.
If you're weighing up the options, I compare the looks side by side in German schmear vs. limewash vs. whitewash.
Before you start: the mortar we used will not adhere to painted brick. If your fireplace is painted, this technique (and this mortar) probably won't work for you.
Plan it first: how much mortar do you need?
Measure the brick face of your fireplace (width × height, plus the sides of the hearth if you're doing them) and play with the coverage slider below. The preview gives you a feel for how much brick you'll hide at different coverage levels - it's a lot easier to decide here than with a putty knife in your hand.
German Schmear Mortar Calculator
Based on roughly 18 sq ft per gallon of pre-mixed mortar at full coverage. Cost includes about $22 for a sponge, putty knife and drop cloth. Slide coverage to preview the look.
What you'll need
- White pre-mixed mortar (we used 2 one-gallon buckets)
- 6" putty knife
- Large grout sponge (the tile-work kind)
- Stiff bristle brush for cleaning brick
- Warm water and a bowl or small bucket
- Mortar mixing pan or disposable baking pan
- Plastic drop cloths and painter's tape
- Rubber gloves (mortar is drying on skin)
Step 1: Prep the area
We aren't replacing our floors anytime soon, so protecting them mattered. We laid plastic drop cloth all around the base of the fireplace and taped it down. We also removed the mantel, which made application much easier and gave us cleaner coverage behind where it sits.
Step 2: Clean the brick - really clean it
The first thing you'll want to do is wash the fireplace. Ours was filthy after years of smoke and soot. I filled a large bowl with warm water, grabbed my sponge and a stiff brush and started scrubbing.
- Work top to bottom so dirty water doesn't run down onto areas you've already cleaned.
- Keep the sponge damp, not dripping, and dump the water often - brick dust turns it into mud fast.
- Put old towels at the base to catch drips.
I found out later that I didn't get it as clean as I thought. Once the mortar dried, certain areas had a yellowish cast. It actually suits the antique look and I barely notice it now - but if you want a crisp, bright white, clean the brick completely (a little TSP substitute in the water helps with soot) and let it dry fully before applying any mortar.
Step 3: Mix the mortar to "sour cream"
Some tutorials have you buy bags of dry mortar and mix them yourself. Most of our tools were still boxed up from the move, so I made it easy on myself and bought pre-mixed mortar. The kind we used is very thick straight out of the bucket, so I thinned it down: scoop a big glob into your pan, add a splash of water and stir. You want the consistency of sour cream - thick enough to stay on the putty knife, loose enough to spread.
If you mix your own from bagged Type S or Type N mortar, add water gradually and let it slake (rest) for 10 minutes before a final stir. Only mix what you can use in about an hour.
Step 4: Start schmearing in a hidden spot
I was new to German schmear and worried about messing it up, so I started on the right side of the fireplace where it's least visible. If I did mess up, no one would see it.
- Load the mortar joints first. Starting at the top, press mortar into the mortar line with your putty knife. Filling the joints gives the finish that aged, built-up look.
- Spread across the brick faces. Wipe the knife down, up and sideways to spread the mortar over as much of the brick as you want to cover. Vary the direction so it doesn't look patterned.
- Leave some brick exposed. This is the whole point. Let red peek through on corners, edges and random faces.
- Knock it back (optional). After 10-20 minutes, when the mortar is firm but not hard, dab or wipe high spots with a barely damp sponge to reveal more brick and soften the edges.
- Work across the top, then down. Finish the whole top section before moving lower so drips land on unfinished brick.
Step 5: Let it dry, then add a second pass
My first layer was very thin and left far more brick showing than I wanted. (Like I said - nervous.) The fireplace looked like a red-spotted Dalmatian, which was not the look I was going for.
Once it dried, I went back over it with more mortar - this time straight from the container, not watered down - and focused on the places where too much red was poking through. That second pass is where it all came together.
The entire process took several hours spread over three days. I took my time because there's no easy way to remove mortar once it's cured. The color didn't end up as bright white as I'd imagined, but I love the soft, rustic tone it has. A stark white would look out of place in this room anyway.
Step 6: Clean up and put the mantel back
Once everything was dry, we reinstalled the mantel and pulled up the plastic. I found a few spots of dried mortar on the floor; they scraped right off with a fingernail. Wipe tools and buckets before the mortar sets - it's much harder afterward.
German schmear mistakes to avoid
| Problem | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Finish looks like stucco | Too much coverage, wiped too smooth | Leave more brick exposed; vary pressure and direction |
| Spotty "Dalmatian" look | First coat too thin and timid | Add a second, thicker pass where red dominates |
| Yellow or gray patches | Soot left on the brick | Clean thoroughly before you start |
| Flaking or powdering | Painted, sealed or dusty brick; mortar dried too fast | Only use bare brick; mist brick lightly in dry weather |
| Hard lines between sections | Letting one area dry before blending the next | Feather wet edges into each other as you go |
German schmear on an exterior or brick house
Since doing the fireplace, I get a lot of questions about German schmear exterior brick - the full "German schmear house" look from the show. The technique is the same, but the materials and conditions change:
- Use an exterior-rated masonry mortar (Type N is a good all-round choice) instead of interior pre-mix.
- Work on an overcast, mild day (roughly 50-80°F), and mist the brick so it doesn't suck the water out of the mortar.
- Do a test patch on a back wall and live with it for a week.
- Budget real time - a whole house is a multi-weekend project or a job for a mason.
Care and maintenance
To clean the fireplace, I just sweep dust and cobwebs away with a soft broom. Mortar is porous, so blot any spills quickly. If you want extra protection on a hearth that sees a lot of traffic, a breathable masonry sealer is an option - just make sure it's rated for fireplaces.
Was it worth it?
Absolutely. The room feels brighter and so much bigger, and the fireplace looks like it has always been this way. All in, the project cost us around $55. If you have a brick fireplace that needs an update, give the German schmear technique a try - and come back and tell us how it went!
Next up in our living room: building out the rest of the modern farmhouse living room around it.
Frequently asked questions
What is German schmear?
German schmear is a mortar-wash technique where wet mortar is smeared over brick (or stone) and partially wiped away, leaving an irregular, old-world finish with some brick peeking through. It was popularized on the HGTV show Fixer Upper and is common on farmhouse, French country and cottage-style homes.
Is it German schmear or German smear?
Both spellings are used - and you'll also see "German shmear" and "brick smear." They all describe the same mortar-wash technique. "Schmear" nods to the German-influenced building tradition the look comes from.
Can you German schmear painted brick?
Not with mortar. Mortar needs porous, bare masonry to grip. If your brick is painted, you'd need to strip it back to raw brick first, or fake the look with a lime-based paint or a dry-brushed masonry paint instead.
Can you German smear the exterior of a brick house?
Yes - German schmear exterior brick is one of the most popular uses of the technique. Use a Type N or Type S masonry mortar rated for exterior use rather than an interior pre-mix, work in the shade on a mild day, and mist the brick so the mortar doesn't dry too fast. Check your HOA first; it's very hard to undo.
Can German smear go bad?
"German smear gone bad" usually means one of three things: too much brick covered so it looks like stucco, too little coverage so it looks spotty (ours looked like a red Dalmatian after coat one), or the mortar was applied to dirty or painted brick and is flaking. Building coverage in thin layers and cleaning thoroughly prevents all three.
How do you maintain a German schmear fireplace?
Dust it with a soft broom or brush attachment. Avoid pressure washing or harsh scrubbing. Mortar is porous, so blot spills quickly; an optional breathable masonry sealer adds stain resistance on hearths.
How much does it cost to German schmear a fireplace?
DIY, usually $40-$90 for a typical fireplace: one to three buckets of pre-mixed mortar plus a sponge, putty knife and drop cloth. Ours was about $55. Use the calculator on this page to estimate yours.
