Ready-made gypsum tiles
This is one of the easiest and most successful ways to decorate a wall: tiles are sold in boxes, their quantity is easy to calculate. They are lightweight and require minimal effort when facing. They are distinguished by a variety of colors, can imitate aged masonry.
Gypsum “bricks” are attached with special glue. Do the facing as carefully as possible so that the adhesive is not visible in the seams. The finished wall can be painted to even out the color, or varnished.
Another advantage of facing tiles is their environmental friendliness, since gypsum is a natural material. The wall will last for several years and will provide additional sound insulation.
Wallpaper
This method is suitable for those who want to imitate a brick wall quickly, but do not pay attention to the volume of the texture. To achieve maximum realism, choose vinyl or non-woven fabrics: all the cracks and folds are visible on them, and the “brick” itself is slightly convex. Paper wallpaper has a less clear pattern and a shorter service life, but is cheaper.
Another option is high-quality photo wallpaper, but its price is equal to the cost of gypsum tiles.
PVC panels
Designed for decorative finishing of the hallway, kitchen, bathroom or balcony. Polyvinyl chloride, from which the panels are made, is not afraid of water, and the minimal thickness of the product gives it elasticity. Some will consider this a disadvantage, and someone will turn it into an advantage, decorating semicircular or uneven surfaces and easily cutting the required amount of material with scissors.
Glue or liquid nails are used for installation. Some products already contain an adhesive layer. The main disadvantages of the panels are the repeatability of the pattern, as well as the seams and artificiality of the material, which are noticeable to the eye.
MDF panels
This material is more environmentally friendly and durable. It is a semi-hard sheet measuring about 2.5 x 1.20 m. The embossing is shallow, but, unlike plastic, it looks more convincing. The panel is attached with liquid nails and joined to the next one, forming a continuous masonry.
The design, made with high-quality digital printing, tolerates cleaning well. It is not suitable for imperfectly aligned walls, but successfully hides minor defects.
Drywall
A method for lovers of even brickwork and handicrafts. In addition to the plasterboard, you will need a stationery knife and a ruler, and putty to give the material texture.
First, the plasterboard sheet is marked into even strips 65 mm wide, then trimmed on both sides and broken. Bricks are formed from the resulting strips.
If the cladding area is large, the process takes a long time. The finished elements are fixed with regular tile adhesive.
The surface can be left smooth or, by removing the top layer of cardboard, make nicks and irregularities on it. You can imitate the texture and tile joints using putty or glue, and convey the color with acrylic or water-dispersion paint.
A more detailed master class can be found in this video:
Polystyrene foam
To create such bricks regular polystyrene foam is used. Some people are satisfied with the remains of ceiling tiles (but the elements made from it are too thin), and some buy sandwich panels and cut them into tiles about 1 cm thick. Polystyrene foam is easy to process with a regular construction knife: with its help you can create the desired texture, and add fine relief with a metal brush.
This lightweight material is easily glued to walls, but does not have high strength, so it is not recommended for rooms with high operational loads. It is also necessary to take into account the painstaking nature of the work – preparation of elements requires time and patience.
Flexible tiles
This material consists of 90% marble or quartz fraction and acrylic binders. The flexible base allows you to cover corners, and thanks to its moisture resistance, the “brick” can be used in high-humidity rooms – bathrooms and swimming pools. It is also suitable for decorating facades. It is produced both as separate elements and in rolls. For installation, you need an acrylic primer and glue specifically for flexible stone.
The advantage of the material is durability (25 years of service), the disadvantage is the high price.
Brick-like porcelain tiles
Another reliable material for wall cladding in a bathroom, hallway or loggia. Porcelain tiles are environmentally friendly, can withstand high loads, look noble, and their matte rough surface successfully imitates real brick.
It is considered an expensive type of finishing, since it includes the cost of the material, careful preparation of the surface and laying of tiles by professionals.
Plaster, masking tape or stencil
This method allows you to make imitation brick for little money. You will need:
- primer;
- plaster;
- thin masking tape;
- level;
- paint and brushes.
Step-by-step instructions:
- Prime the wall, mark it with a pencil and stick on the tape, leaving “tails”.
- Apply the plaster and, without waiting for it to dry completely, remove the tape.
- Align the edges with a damp sponge or, conversely, give the bricks relief. The dried wall turns out strong, similar to real brick.
- Paint it in any suitable color.
When creating brickwork this way, be prepared for an abundance of dirt and dust. Instead of tape, you can use a ready-made or homemade stencil.
Tile adhesive, level or roller
Instead of plaster, you can use tile adhesive – it is more resistant to moisture, but is also considered a budget option. To create imitation brickwork with your own hands, apply glue to the primed wall and fillet the seams with a level and any suitable tool – all that remains is to remove excess glue.
To imitate uneven aged brick, you can buy a special roller: this way you will save time, but not money.
Most of the examples given do not require significant costs, and the effectiveness and persuasiveness of the brickwork depends on the accuracy and artistic taste of the master.
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