How to Paint Faux Brick Panels

A faux brick panel effect on your wall is an easy and cheap decorative effect that can greatly improve the interior of your home.

Prepare the Room

Make sure the room you are working in is well ventilated and remove all furniture from the area you wish to paint. Lay old newspapers or plastic sheeting onto your floor to prevent any staining from paint drips and to also use space to keep your materials on. Any areas of the wall that you do not wish to paint should be cordoned off using strips of painter's tape, the same also applies to any headboards or fittings that need protecting from the paint.

Before you begin first paint a base coat of cream/grey paint onto your wall to give the effect of mortar on a brick wall. If applying more than one coat, wait approximately 6 hours before you repaint.

Prepare Paints

Lay out your styrofoam plate and pour on a splodge of brick-colored acrylic paint, you could try using more than one color to make the bricks more realistic. Dab your sponge into a bowl of water and squeeze out any excess drips into the bowl. Use your paintbrush to apply the paint onto the sponge, this prevents excess paint from building up and ruining your paint effect. Be careful not to put too much paint onto the sponge.

Apply Sponge

When ready, firmly press your sponge onto your wall, but be careful to not press too firmly, otherwise it could cause the paint to run. Swiftly remove the sponge from the wall and you should be left with a brick-shaped stamp. It does not matter if the brick is patchy, as this will add to a real brick effect.

Take your finger and place it against the side of your brick, either mark this space with a pencil or simply keep your finger there whilst you reload your sponge and repeat the process. Each brick should be the width of a finger apart and, for added authenticity, try staggering your brick prints. To create a partial brick shape when you come to the edges of your wall, cut one of your brick sponges in half, and repeat the earlier painting process with half a sponge.

Finish

Leave the paint to dry, then carefully remove the tape.