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A traditional German schmear uses mortar, making it unsuitable for adherence to painted surfaces. Professionals recommend removing any existing paint before applying mortar. However, you can rough up the painted surface and clean it to test if the mortar will stick. Remember that the underlying paint's texture and color may affect the schmear's final appearance—so starting with a bare brick wall will ensure the ideal finish.

A fireplace hearth is a fireproof flooring material that extends out from the base of the fireplace and into the room. Hearths can be made of brick, ceramic, marble, limestone, and more. A hearth serves the purpose of decreasing the fire risk in the area directly around the fireplace. If flying embers hit carpet or wood, they’ll spark and create a fire. But if they hit something like tile or granite, they’ll simply go out.

If you want to avoid damaging your home's brick, you should always use a stain specifically formulated for masonry projects. These stains are designed to penetrate the porous surface of the brick and bond with it, unlike paints, which sit on the surface and are prone to peeling and flaking. Look for stains labeled for use on brick or other masonry surfaces. Avoid using regular paint on brick, as it will not adhere well and will likely lead to future maintenance issues. 

You should generally drill into the mortar joints when installing shutters on brick. Mortar is softer, which makes drilling easier and puts less strain on your tools. It also lowers the risk of cracking a brick—something that’s a lot harder to fix. Mortar holds fasteners well enough for standard shutters, and if you ever need to patch the holes later, it’s a much simpler job than dealing with damaged brick. Just keep in mind that if your mortar joints are too thin or the hardware calls for brick anchoring, you'll need to check the manufacturer’s recommendations and adjust accordingly.