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Hi there, this is the post about the painting technique for this art piece.

You can read about my inspiration for all the brick hullabaloo, and the overall project, HERE.

Did you know wood 2×3’s could look like brick?

I didn’t, so I decided to take a gamble.  (But I totally acted like I knew what I was doing, when my husband was nearby…)

First of all, I wanted the bricks”to look like they had been around the block a time or two.  I wanted some chipped brick vibes.

I used my trusty wire cutters? to chip away at the blocks.

I also mixed in some 1×3 blocks, for varying depths of brick.

(It got real messy.)

Then, I smoothed out the obvious.

Before staining, I wiped some white paint on them to help hide the grain a little.

I used Minwax Water-Based Stain in Terracotta.

The stain went on evenly, which made me happy.  (Remember, I was gambling.  Terracotta is a brick color, right?)

I did another layer to deepen the color, then “dabbed” the soaked paper towel to give texture lines.  (See last picture in collage below.)

Next came the mounting of the bricks.  (Details for this on link above/Faux Brick Wall Art post.)

After the bricks were mounted on the plywood, I used bunched up paper and some styrofoam to fill in the gaps between bricks.

Then I filled in with caulking, and covered the caulking with plaster of paris.

Plaster of paris worked great to give texture to the front of the bricks, too.

Next up, came the stenciling.  I am excited about the possibility to change up the signage when I want, simply by sanding and re-staining.  I won’t even have to remove the art piece from the wall.

When the stenciling was done, I painted several layers, and played around with colors.  Mixing plaster of paris with the paint helps it distress easier.  (Doesn’t really matter how much.  I’d just add small handfuls of P.O.P. until I got a clumpy and dry texture.)

When it dried, I distressed with different objects.  (Blade, wet rag, sandpaper, and a razor thingy.)

Having the Plaster of P. in the paints I used, made this part forgiving.  I touched up if I took too much off.

My philosophy is:  The longer you mess with paint and the more adding paint/taking paint away, the more realistic it looks.  (That only applies to faux finishes, of course.  Stuff that you’re trying to age on purpose.)

And that’s a wrap!

Thanks for reading.

Faux Brick Wall Art

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Faux Brick Wall Art

This project idea kind of came out of left field, but I’ll take it.  I’ve come to realize that I can’t get too choosy with new ideas, because I never know when the creative side of my brain will hit a brick wall.  (Ha-ha.. hey dad, that one’s for you!)

Now, on with the show!…

I’ve always wanted a brick accent wall of the red variety, on the inside of my house.

After researching thin brick and seeing the price tag…  uh, no.  Not right now, anyway.

This meant I had to scratch that idea.

That being said, of course I could NOT scratch that idea, so I compromised.  Faux brick would be the ticket.

I really wanted realistic brick pattern/texture.  I wanted to walk up and touch it, and have it feel like brick.  I did not want brick paneling, because that would have been easier.  No sir re.  If  I went with paneling, I might as well have just used wall paper…  I’m digressing here.

I decided on using scrap 2×3’s and 1×3’s for depth.  I didn’t do the whole wall.  I settled for an art piece, because a compromise doesn’t have to be forever.  I’ll keep my plot for real brick tucked away for now.

To start off, I cut up varying lengths and used some wire cutters to cut out chips along the edges.  (A tool for every occasion.)

It makes a mess.

I glued and clamped these in a brick pattern, to a 1/8″ plywood sheet, using random things as spacers.

Painting and finishing technique for the “bricks”.

Then, I filled in the gaps with lightweight paper or cardboard.  (I wanted to eliminate as much weight as I could.)

Next, I used caulk and then some gritty plaster of paris.

Next, on to the frame.

I used the K5 that Kreg Jig sent me to make the joints for the box frame.  (1×4″ boards)

It’s amazing how fast things can be done with Kreg Jig.  All of my art frames are done this way.

I used a square as a guide, because it’s nice and square.

To double check my measurements, I did a dry run with the wood brick piece inside the frame.

Next, I painted the frame and added a 1 x 1.5″ strip around the inside front edge to create a shadow box effect.

After I painted the frame, I mounted the piece(s) to studs on my wall.  (I made the brick in two sections, for easier handling.)

Next, I totally highjacked my husband’s idea for the lights…

Yup.  Painter’s tape.

(In the middle of all this, I painted some signage on the brick.)

The shadow box frame fit perfectly right over the top.

And there you have it.

I mean, actually, I have it.

On my wall that will one day be real brick.

A girl’s gotta hold onto a dream, right?  This art piece should tide me over for now.