I am restoring an old house that has a brick fireplace. I want to apply a stone veneer over the existing fireplace. The existing red brick is in good condition and is structurally sound. Mortar joints are solid and not crumbling. I am covering it in stoner purely for aesthetic reasons.
I need to know if I can mortar directly to the red brick, or if I need to cover the brick surface with another material before applying my scratch layer of mortar.
Looking for the advice of a pro on this.