How to Make Faux Brick With Spackle

Interior brick walls add a wonderful rustic or old-world charm to any room, but the expense and work of having one installed can be daunting. The good news is that you can replicate the look with simple painting supplies. You will save a lot of money, the job will be much easier to do yourself, and the finished product looks great.

Things You'll Need

• Spackle
• 1/4 inch Painter's tape
• Spackle knife
• Sea sponges
• Paint
• Glaze
• Primer
• Paint roller
• Paint pan
• Craft paint brushes
• Drop cloth
• Chalk
• Yardstick
• Level
• Rags

Instructions

1. Decide what colors you will want your wall. Choose a color for the "grout," one for the "bricks," and a color slightly darker or lighter than the "bricks" in order to provide color variations and make them look more realistic. For example, you may want gray grout and red bricks, or you might want light tan grout and slightly darker tan or brown bricks. Purchase your paint in the colors you prefer.

2. Place a drop cloth on the floor to protect it. Prime the walls to prepare them for the wall treatment. Allow the primer to dry for 24 hours.

3. Roll the grout color onto the walls. Allow it to dry for 24 hours.

4. Use a yardstick and piece of chalk to draw horizontal lines across the wall. Separate the lines slightly farther apart than the size you want your bricks to be. Use a level to ensure that the lines are straight. Use the yardstick to ensure your bricks are the same size.

5. Draw vertical lines between the horizontal lines to mark off the edges of the bricks, again, slightly larger than you want your bricks to be. As you move on to each level, stagger the lines so the bricks will look staggered. Again, use a level to ensure they are straight and the same size.

6. Tape along the lines with 1/4 inch painter's tape. Whatever areas are taped off will be the grout, and the open area will be the bricks. Be sure you are satisfied with the size and spacing of your bricks.

7. Cover the entire area with a thick coating of spackle. Wet a sea sponge and wring it out thoroughly. Dab gently at the surface of the spackle, randomly, to create an interesting texture.

8. Carefully pull off the painter's tape. Allow the spackle remaining to thoroughly dry.

9. Use smaller one or two inch craft brushes to brush the brick color onto each brick. You may have to dab the paint into some areas with the brush to fill in the texture. Be careful to avoid getting the color onto the grout lines. If you do, don't let it worry you too much. When it's all dry, you can use a thin craft brush and the remaining grout color to cover any mistakes you make.

10. Mix one part glaze with three parts paint of a color that is a shade darker or lighter than the bricks. Wet a sea sponge and wring it out. Dab it into the glaze, and then onto a rag to remove excess. Pat and dab onto each brick, randomly, being careful to avoid the grout. Don't make each brick exactly alike. On some bricks, use more of the paint and glaze mixture than others.

11. Allow the paint to dry. Use a small craft brush to make any corrections that are necessary.