Paige’s DIY Faux Brick Wall

Materials:

• Painters Tape
• Spackling Knife / trowel
• Utility knife
• All purpose joint compound or spackle
• Stiff paint brush
• 1 – 3 colors of paint (the colors you would like your brick)
• Sea Sponge
• Sanding sponge
• Cotton swabs
• Scrap piece of cardboard (to cut into 3” x 7”)

Directions:

1. Prepare tape: Using a utility knife, score tape several layers deep all the way around.
2. Using blade on both sides of the edges of roll, carve the edges to create an uneven line
3. Make a brick template (about 3inches x 7 inches) from cardboard or heavy paper. Put a small piece of double stick tape (or blue painter’s tape) in the center that will hold the template but can be removed easily to reposition
4. Use template to set up your brick pattern on the wall with painter’s tape (set horizontal lines first then vertical lines, staggering bricks as you go)
5. Put some joint compound into a mixing bowl and add paint (use any colors to get the color of brick you like).
6. Stir your paint/compound mixture well.
7. You can either paint on your mixture, or smear on the wall (like cake frosting) using a trowel
8. Work in sections so you can texturize as you go
9. Don’t let sections dry before texturizing
10. Using a dry paint brush or sea sponge, stipple the wet compound to your liking. You can also add bits of color for an uneven, old-world effect.
11. Let rest about 15-30 minutes (dry climates will dry quicker than wet climates)
12. Using your trowel, scrape lightly across the area to remove peaks
13. Peel off tape and let cure for 1-2 days
14. Using a sanding block, scrub lightly over all surfaces to remove rough and sharp edges
15. Use a wet swab to clean up mistakes

Tips:

1. Tape off electrical outlets, windows, baseboards or other features to prevent smears
2. Experiment with the color you like – let it dry and keep track of the ratio of paint to compound
3. Blend all the paint into compound but leave streaks of color to achieve a natural look
4. Don’t worry if your compound runs over brick areas as it gives it an authentic look

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Follow lifestyle design expert Paige Hemmis on Twitter @paigehemmis and check out her site www.paigehemmis.com.
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