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Sawdust Girl®

Sawdust Girl®

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Faux Brick and Plaster Wall with Faux Brick Panels

All Posts, Craft Room, Loft, Wall and Ceiling Treatments

I created a faux brick and plaster feature wall in my craft room.  I used inexpensive brick veneer wall panels from the Home Depot and then zhushed them to make them look fancy!  The whole idea came about because I wanted to reuse the materials I tore out of the un-realized recording studio which included a few sheets of brick paneling.  I wanted to use the material but wanted to make it look more like real brick. Specifically like a really old brick wall that had been plastered and painted repeatedly over a few decades.  

Using faux brick panels to create the look of Brick and Plaster

Use Brick Panels create a Brick and Plaster look

I cut the first sheet of faux paneling and put it in place.  I had to cut out a couple outlets and a light box and those holes came out perfect on the first try.How to create a faux brick and plaster wall.

Faux brick and plaster wall

Which is more than can be said for the second piece.  I cut the holes too high and rather than start over with a new sheet of paneling, I cut out a patchwork or bricks around the light and receptacle…and while I had the jigsaw in my hand, I cut out all the half bricks on the end of the panel.   I knew the seams would hide better this way after plastering but I got lazy on the first section and didn’t do it.  Because I had to recut the light and receptacle holes on this one I went ahead and got fully committed.  All in.  Faux brick and plaster wall

This is the seam where the two panels meet without weaving the bricks.  It’s a very blunt edge and even if you line the bricks up perfectly, the seam is quite visible.Faux brick and plaster wall

More so depending on your angle!  I would have taken the first panel down and weaved the bricks on this joint too but I’d used construction adhesive on the edge and just figured I’d make all the other seams perfect and spend more time hiding this one with the plaster.Faux brick and plaster wall

To cut away the half bricks, I cut on the grout line and then broke the unwanted bricks out.  Breaking it, as apposed to cutting it, created a jagged edge which looks more realistic (in an old brick sort of way).Faux brick and plaster wallFaux brick and plaster wall

I applied construction adhesive around the holes and on all the protruding bricks on the seam line and then went ahead and dotted the entire back of the panel because at this point– I’m never taking this brick wall down anyway so why not make good and sure it never budges!Faux brick and plaster wall

Next I cut a WHOLE BUNCH of single bricks and glued them in where they needed to be.Faux brick and plaster wallIt was a LOT easier to get the hole locations perfect when I was able to cut each brick one by one.  Ultimately I should have pulled that light box forward and reinstalled it on top of the brick but I ignored that thought and just made sure my light will cover the hole I did create.  I don’t generally go the “quick and dirty” route but once in a while…Faux brick and plaster wall

U used joint compound to fill in the voids and hide my seams.  Faux brick and plaster wallI had to take a break from the “brick work” to bulk out my window trim since the brick wall will but right up to the moulding.

Creating Faux Brick and Plaster Wall Feature

Once I added the additional moulding pieces, I finished up my brick wall using the same “weaving” method.  It was a lot of stinking work.  I probably could have applied a brick tile on the whole wall in the time it took me to do the paneling but the paneling was a whole lot cheaper.  I used about 3 sheets.

Faux brick and plaster wall

Once I finished the whole wall, I concentrated my efforts on hiding the seams and creating the plaster look.  The weaved seams basically disappeared once filled with joint compound.  How to create a faux brick and plaster wall.

I had to build it up since the voids were so deep.  I smooshed it into the seams, let it dry and then came back and applied a little more where needed.Creating Faux Brick and Plaster Wall Feature

After the seams were dry I started troweling joint compound over the whole wall to create the “plaster look”.

How to create a faux brick and plaster wall.

I did this in stages.  I applied some plaster, let it dry and then went back in and applied some more.  This part is the artistic part where you just get the wall to look however you want.
How to create a faux brick and plaster wall.

I applied plaster, then sanded and sponged some away, then came back in and applied some more purposely creating some texture.  I messed with this wall A LOT.How to create a faux brick and plaster wall.

Then I painted it.  Actually it’s just primer because the primer will seal the plaster but it has a really dull, chalky look and will grey over time which is perfectly perfect for the look I’m going for.How to create a faux brick and plaster wall.

After applying priming, I let the primer dry for less than an hour and went back in with a little trowel and scrapped some of the paint back off.  Another layer of the aging process I was going for.  I scraped away just enough to expose some of the brick and plaster underneath.  It looks like the paint is flaking off.

The moisture in the primer dampened the joint compound so the timing on this part is somewhat critical.  I don’t think you’d get the same result if you waited too long.How to create a faux brick and plaster wall.

Now I’ve exposed some of the joint compound again so I need to go back and wash the whole wall with a transparent glaze or something that will seal the wall.   I took way more time than I expected it would to create a faux brick and plaster look, but it’s my feature wall so I had to keep messing with it until it looked right.  Next I’ll focus on finishing my ceiling.  How to create a faux brick and plaster wall.

February 2, 2016 · 30 Comments

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Comments

  1. Janice says

    February 2, 2016 at 9:52 am

    This is AWESOME! I might brave this! Nice work!

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      February 5, 2016 at 8:28 am

      Thank you Janice.

      Reply
  2. Theda says

    February 2, 2016 at 10:44 am

    You are amazing! I think you’ve achieved perfection on that wall. It looks great!!

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      February 5, 2016 at 8:29 am

      I’m definitely tenacious — I don’t know about amazing. LOL Thanks!

      Reply
  3. Sue@CountryDesignHome says

    February 2, 2016 at 10:46 am

    LOVE this! Never would have imagined you could get this look from those awful fake brick panels. Well done!

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      February 5, 2016 at 8:28 am

      Thanks Sue. I just kept messing with it until I did get the look I wanted…I was unsure there for a while. LOL

      Reply
  4. Terry Moore says

    February 2, 2016 at 11:24 am

    Looks like a lot of work but the end result is amazing and so worth it. A very good look and it looks authentic.

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      February 5, 2016 at 8:34 am

      Thanks. Authentic is what I was going for. I didn’t know how much work it would take to achieve it so I just kept at it until I saw it. In hind sight…I’d probably do exactly the same thing again. Because I only spent $8 on a tub of plaster and was able to re-use material that would have otherwise been thrown away. So, win/win!

      Reply
  5. nellie says

    February 2, 2016 at 12:59 pm

    jagged seams awesome.
    question: how did you get the panel to line up so perfect with the ceiling? can you do a tutorial on that?

    Reply
    • nellie says

      February 2, 2016 at 1:00 pm

      the angled ceiling that is

      Reply
  6. Cindy dabney says

    February 2, 2016 at 5:00 pm

    That is a fabulous technique! I need to find a wall in my house to do this on! As always thanks for sharing. You are such an inspiration to me!

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      February 5, 2016 at 8:37 am

      I’m not sure what you are asking. How did I cut out the angle on the brick so it would fit? Match the ceiling angle? I measured the highest point on the ceiling and then the lowest. Then measured the distance between those two points and transferred those measurements onto my panel. (Hope that was what you wanted to know and that it made sense.)

      Reply
  7. Heather C says

    February 2, 2016 at 7:18 pm

    Really, really, like the look you achieved, you are one hard working girl.

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      February 5, 2016 at 8:39 am

      Thank you Heather.

      Reply
  8. Renate says

    February 2, 2016 at 10:56 pm

    ‘Wax on, wax off’!!
    Oh my gosh this wall was A LOT of work…I’m suprised you can still move your arms!

    But the end result was worth all the work. The wall looks awesome. I live the old world style. It makes the room look so cozy.

    I’m thinking maybe I should try something similar to a couple of walls in my basement.

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      February 5, 2016 at 8:38 am

      LOL Thanks! (wax on, wax off, wax on, wax…still going. Kidding. I’m done!)

      Reply
  9. shnatanu sinha says

    February 4, 2016 at 12:44 am

    Hi Sawdust girl

    What a masterpiece you provided us with 🙂
    It seems to be a huge amount of work to be carried upon. I wish you could perform a tutorial on how to get the panels
    lined up exactly the same size.

    I definitely would like to carry this achievement for one of my walls. You are such an inspiration. good work girl 🙂

    Have a great week

    Shantanu sinha

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      February 5, 2016 at 8:39 am

      Thanks. I’m not sure what you mean about getting the panels lined up the same size. Could you explain? Then perhaps I can do an additional video/post.

      Reply
  10. Mrs. Cobra says

    June 27, 2018 at 2:30 pm

    I just finished distressing my faux brick with the joint compound. I love how into looks and don’t want to change a thing! I am just wondering what glaze or topcoat you might recommend to seal it off? I would leave it exactly how it is, but don’t want to risk it getting overly gray or yellowing over time. Thanks so much for the inspiration! You are fantastic!

    Reply
    • Kim cortino says

      September 15, 2018 at 10:15 pm

      I’ve been wondering the same thing!! What did you end up using for a clear glaze top coat?

      Reply
    • Morgan says

      November 1, 2018 at 1:55 am

      I am also wondering!!!

      Reply
    • Sandra says

      November 1, 2018 at 5:48 pm

      I would try a waterborne poly.

      Reply
  11. Robin says

    October 15, 2018 at 1:01 pm

    This is so wonderful. Your video, especially! I believe I can do it, too. Thank you !

    Reply
  12. Danielle says

    January 21, 2019 at 8:30 pm

    So the supplies I need are the panels, joint compound, trowel, sandpaper, sponge and water and waterborne poly?? Would you recommend waiting longer than an hour so the compound doesn’t get wet from the poly when you trowel some off? You should wait until the compound drys completely to do the top coat? Would this work in a bathroom with the extra moisture in the air?

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      January 22, 2019 at 9:48 am

      I never went back and coated my wall with anything. In my craft room, that’s fine. I think it would be fine to do it in a bathroom as long as you completely seal it. You may have to experiment with different sealers.

      Reply
  13. sam says

    October 25, 2019 at 4:50 pm

    great wall! wanna come here and do mine!
    question… why do you need to seal it? if the ‘brick’ board itself is ‘sealed’ and you put primer on, does it need to be sealed? or, if you put the primer on, go back and do the aging on it and then paint and wipe off where you want. would that work too!

    i’m certainly going to try this, but a bit more information would be helpful!
    thanks so much for the video! it was helpful!

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      October 29, 2019 at 5:01 pm

      If you used a plaster type material (like hot mud), you probably wouldn’t need to prime. I used regular joint compound that will wipe away with water if not sealed.

      Reply
  14. Ginny Horn says

    November 14, 2019 at 6:27 pm

    I just found you on Pinterest and I am absolutely hooked on your projects! I live in KY. If I ever come to Bucksnort, I would love to meet you two. I grew up in a small town in TN outside of Nashville where the real estate is still affordable… Thanks so much for your inspirations. I can’t wait to try some of your projects! I am most definitely a remodelaholic :))

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      November 15, 2019 at 2:23 pm

      Hi Ginny! I can’t imagine any real estate near Nashville being affordable any more. LOL People are leaving that area and moving to Knoxville and now Knoxville prices are getting too high. I guess that is the case everywhere…

      Reply
  15. Ingrid Sawubona says

    March 14, 2020 at 11:49 am

    Really, really nice work! Thanks for the info!

    Reply

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