DIY Faux Fireplace
No fireplace bricks? No problem! Here Ana shows you how to DIY yourself faux fireplace bricks using masking tape and joint compound.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
• Painter’s tape
• Plastic tarp
• Level
• Pencil
• Masking tape (between ½" and ¾" thickness) • Medium putty knife
• Premixed joint compound
• Water-based primer
• Water-based paints of your choice
• Larger brush (bristle or foam)
• Small (about ½") brush for grout lines • Water-based polyacrylic
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
1. Using painter’s tape, tape off any outlets or switches you might have on your wall, as well as the edges of your space and floor. Put down tarps or butcher paper to protect your floors.
2. With a level, draw horizontal and vertical brick lines with a pencil. Once they are drawn, use your masking tape to tape off your “bricks” (the masking tape will become the “grout” between the bricks). Don’t worry if your bricks aren’t the exact same size (Ana’s range in width from 2.25 to 2.9 inches). You won’t notice once the project is done.
3. Add joint compound. Use your putty knife to spread the joint compound all over your wall. Experiment with the putty knife in different positions to get the texture you want. The joint compound dries quickly, but you do have some time before you need to peel the tape up, so don’t feel like you have to rush. However, if the space you are working with is large, break it up into sections.
4. Peel off your tape. This can be messy. Ana peeled off the tape in small sections at a time and placed it into a large bucket to try to keep the mess contained. Now let your bricks set and dry completely (usually about 24 hours).
5. Prime, paint and seal the bricks. Once they are dry, paint your bricks in the color of your choice. Ana finished hers in a faux-brick technique using red/ brown paints and then went over the paint with a skim coat of joint compound. After your bricks are painted, use a small brush to touch up your grout lines. Last, seal off the project with 2–3 coats of a water-based polyacrylic.