Brickwork brings a unique charm and that “zest” to the interior. And if the external cladding of a building can still be done using various types of bricks, then indoors, especially in an ordinary apartment, it is not always possible to use such heavy finishing, because additional load on load-bearing floors can lead to extremely unfavorable consequences.
However, there is a way out - you can create an excellent imitation of a brick wall. There are several options for this finish, and you can handle each of them with your own hands. The final result depends solely on your imagination and personal preferences.
Before starting work, prepare the equipment necessary to perform decorative “brick” cladding. The list will vary slightly depending on the finishing method you choose, but in general you will need the following:
The simplest option for simulating brickwork
The easiest option for simulating brickwork to produce is to draw the corresponding cladding elements on plain wallpaper or simply a painted wall.
Of course, in this case there is no question of the realism and “volume” of the masonry, but the method has a number of great advantages, namely:
The disadvantage, as already noted, is the unnaturalness of the cladding. And the finished result does not look very attractive, to put it mildly. Therefore, it is recommended to use it only in some household and household premises such as a dressing room, garage, etc.
For living rooms, choose a more effective method of simulating brickwork from the following suggested ones.
Using masking tape, mark the boundary contours
We mark the window according to the template with narrow masking tape and paint it with “brick” acrylic
Homemade gypsum bricks look no worse than factory-made finishing elements. Carrying out such cladding does not require the performer to have special skills or large financial costs.
The first step is making the mold
Make a mold to make bricks. The thickness of an individual element can be 5-20 mm. At a lower height, the bricks will quickly break, and the use of large-sized elements will lead to a significant increase in the consumption of plaster for grouting joints. In addition, too large bricks will visually reduce the area of the room.
The second step is preparing the solution
Prepare a solution for making cladding elements. To do this, dilute the dry plaster with water until it resembles thick sour cream. Lubricate the mold prepared at the previous stage with a soap solution or simple petroleum jelly and pour the prepared mass into it.
Level the fill using a regular ruler. Leave the mold for 20-30 minutes, then turn it over and carefully remove the finished cladding element. Paint the brick the desired color. Sometimes, to obtain the required shade, the product must be painted in at least three layers. If desired, you can varnish the brick.
Third step - cladding
Start imitating brickwork. To do this, apply markings to the area of the wall allocated for finishing. At the bottom of the wall, set aside a starting line from which you will begin laying the plaster stones.
To fix the bricks, use an adhesive specially designed for such work, for example, tile adhesive. Buy it from the appropriate store.
Lay out the first row of bricks in compliance with the selected joint width. Attach further rows in a checkerboard pattern. Use a notched trowel to apply the adhesive to the wall. For greater effect, you can carefully break the outermost bricks in each row so that their edges look torn and uneven.
Leave the finish to dry for 1-3 days. You can check the exact drying time for the glue on the packaging.
Imitation foam brick
An imitation brick wall can be made from a ceiling foam tiles without pattern. The recommended size of the “bricks” is 150x70 mm. Cladding made from elements with larger dimensions will look unnatural. The procedure for making bricks is extremely simple.
First step. Mark the tiles. An ordinary gel pen will help you with this. Don't forget to leave small allowances for the seams between the tiles.
Second step.
Use a toothpick to press neat, even lines along the markings.
Fourth step.
Cover the selected section of the wall with ready-made bricks. Use tile adhesive for gluing. Start facing from the bottom edge of the wall. The seams may not be filled. Leave a 1-2 mm gap between the “bricks”.
Fifth step.
Paint the finished siding. Apply an increased amount of paint into the gaps. This way you will create the most realistic imitation of brickwork.
Wood bricks
Imitation of brickwork can be very easily made from wood. First step. Buy material for making “bricks”. You can use, for example, plywood..
Second step.
Cut the workpiece into the required number of rectangular elements
same size
Third step.
Sand the front side of each element.
Fourth step.
Prepare markings on the wall.
Fifth step.
Lay out the bricks according to the markings, starting from the bottom opposite corners. Attach the elements at the same distance, corresponding to the seam thickness you have chosen. A gap of a couple of millimeters will be enough. Lay out all the bricks.
Sixth step.
Paint or varnish the finished masonry.
The advantage of imitation brick walls made of wood is environmental friendliness and impressive durability.
Decorative bricks can be made from dry tile adhesive.
First step. Dilute the dry component in water until you obtain a mixture with a consistency close to very thick sour cream.
Second step.
Divide the resulting mass into 3 approximately equal parts and add a small amount of paint to each of them. Coloring components must have different shades.
Stir each pile thoroughly. As a result, you will get a mass with beautiful and interesting patterns.
Third step.
Treat decorative masonry using the tampon method. To do this, take a sponge, dip it into the thick mixture prepared in the previous stages, and evenly distribute the composition over the cladding.
Fourth step.
Take liquid paint of a brown shade or close to it. Spray the paint onto the trim using a toothbrush. To achieve a more impressive and natural finish, you can use different painting techniques for each row. For example, you can treat the second row of masonry with cold hematite diluted with water, cover the third row with a mixture of sienna and white, etc. Apply all coloring compounds using the same tamping technique. Alternate shades in order. Finally, coat the imitation brick wall with a couple of coats of varnish. If desired, give the cladding
matte surface
, carefully sand it with fine-grain sandpaper.
To create an imitation brick wall yourself, you don’t need to be a great master. Choose the method you like best and start finishing according to the instructions.
Good luck! Video - DIY brick wall imitation Decorative brick is increasingly used for interior decoration in the corridor. Undoubtedly,
ideal option
is the use of natural finishing materials, but not all owners of city apartments can afford them. In addition to the high price, natural materials are rarely used because working with them requires special skills, which not all owners of apartments and houses possess. Decorative brick looks very similar to
natural material
, but has significantly less weight, which makes it even more attractive for decorative work inside a living space.
Armed with some special tools, it is quite possible to fix decorative bricks on the wall in the corridor with your own hands, even in the absence of special skills.
- Types of decorative artificial stone
- Currently, there are three options for artificial stone for interior corridor decoration on the construction market:
- based on cement;
gypsum based; algorithmic type Such products are similar in appearance to a natural stone, but significantly surpass it in their
Among those finishing materials that have become widespread recently, clinker tiles are distinguished in the interior world, capable of imitating a variety of different variants brickwork.
In its production, clay is used, which is fired in special kilns and then covered with a layer of glaze.
The finished product has a thickness of about 1-3 centimeters, so the weight of the tiles is insignificant. This material can be used for any interior style, including loft and high-tech.
Original decorative bricks for the wall in the corridor, photo, useful tips professional designers, all this is presented in the video
Gypsum artificial stone
This version of the finishing material is considered the most inexpensive, and it also has the lightest weight.
Attention! Decorative gypsum stone is suitable for installation on plasterboard coverings.
Among the main disadvantages of this material, it is necessary to note its instability to high humidity, high fragility, as well as deformation and destruction when exposed to excess water.
Advice! You can use gypsum finishing stone to decorate hallways if, after completing installation, you cover the finished surface with varnish or special impregnation.
The modern construction market offers a good range of colors for this finishing material, so it is quite possible to make an informed choice, taking into account the general style direction decorated room.
Decorative material based on cement
This stone is made from a mixture of sand and clay, so it can rightfully be considered an environmentally friendly finishing material that is suitable for use in residential premises.
This decorative brick is ideal for interior decoration of the corridor, but this finishing material also has its negative characteristics. Let us highlight the main disadvantages of artificial stone created on the basis of a sand-cement mixture.
First of all, we note that as you work with this stone, problems associated with cutting it will arise. You will have to arm yourself with a grinder with a special diamond blade to cut this stone.
Advice! To reduce the amount of dust generated during the cutting process, craftsmen recommend pre-wetting the tiles in water.
In addition, among the obvious disadvantages of such finishing material, one should note the higher cost of such products. In the production of decorative cement stone, high-strength cement is used, which has a fairly high price.
Since cement gains strength only 3-4 weeks after the tiles are made, it is necessary to allocate premises for their storage. In addition, during storage it is necessary to comply with certain temperature conditions(about 20 degrees), and also regulate humidity (it should not exceed 40-50 percent).
Of course, these shortcomings are more than compensated for by the long service life of such finishing material, as well as the ease of its installation. That is why interior professionals consider cement stone to be the most popular and widespread type of decoration for internal and external surfaces.
Sinter materials
This decorative material professionals consider it an innovative type of decorative artificial stone. In its production, mineral rocks are used: granite, marble, and quartzite. They are first crushed to a crumb state, then polymer resin or cement is added to the resulting mixture.
In order to fully satisfy the needs of customers for bright and colorful finishing materials, various dyes are often added to the resulting mixture. The appearance of this decorative stone will satisfy the needs of even the most capricious property owners, which is why there is an increase in demand for these products.
When selecting a collection of artificial stones made of cement or gypsum, it is necessary Special attention pay attention to the coloring option for products. If pigment is added to the solution, then all the tiles will have the same color.
Next, special tints are applied to the front side of the stone, giving it a natural look. This technology makes it possible not to notice differences in shades even if part of the tile is chipped during use.
Using a different technology, the coloring pigment is applied only to the surface, which significantly reduces the cost of the product, but at the slightest chip, an obvious difference will be visible between the outer and inner color of the product.
Features of laying artificial stone
The most simple option installation of such products will be an invitation to a professional craftsman. If you decide to save on paying for its services and will lay artificial stone yourself, first you need to decide on the amount of material that will be required for cladding.
There are certain subtleties here, because many collections contain stone fragments of different shapes and sizes.
As an exception, we can only consider ceramic stone, which is used to imitate brickwork. To understand how many such fragments will be required in your case, you must first clarify their dimensions.
Professionals recommend that you first draw approximate boundaries of the finish on the surface that you will decorate. In this case, you will be able to make approximate calculations, as well as choose the option of laying individual bricks.
Advice! To the resulting quantity, add approximately fifteen percent of materials for possible adjustment and trimming.
Those craftsmen who are constantly engaged in laying artificial stone recommend first laying out individual bricks on a horizontal surface in order to understand exactly how best to combine them together.
Advice! In the process of such “estimation”, it is necessary to take into account the distances on the seams, as well as the geometry of the surfaces being designed.
Ideas to use decorative bricks in the interior are becoming increasingly popular. And it’s not surprising, because this finishing material allows you to realize stylish fantasies by creating a cozy and original atmosphere in your apartment. To ensure that the results of the renovation bring only joy, it is important to think in advance how the brickwork will look in the interior, in which rooms it is best used and which styles to give preference to. You will learn all this from the materials of the article, supported by clear examples on the picture.
What is decorative brick?
Decorative brick is a special kind of interior tile. Accordingly, it has a small thickness (about 2 cm), which makes it possible to finish walls without much loss of usable space. There is a brick for the interior different colors, sizes, textures. Thanks to such diversity, you can create exactly the design in the apartment that you dream of.
Natural old brick looks the most stylish and respectable in the interior.
But it is not always possible to use it. Competent selection of high-quality decorative bricks for the interior allows you to get a worthy replacement.
In some cases, it may be appropriate to use textured wallpaper instead of brick tiles. They are easier to use, cheaper, and help save space. But be careful when choosing. Often wallpaper does not create the desired effect.
General rules for using bricks
Designing and decorating walls with your own hands requires certain knowledge and a sense of style. The first principle you must learn is:
Brick in the interior will look stylish and emphasize comfort only if it is used in reasonable quantities.
Neglecting this rule will result in you ending up with a cold, uncomfortable atmosphere in your home. To make it more clear how to decorate rooms with bricks for the interior, take a look at the photo.
Brick finishing options:
- highlighting an accent wall (the technique is suitable for any room in the apartment);
- highlighting the fireplace area in the living room;
- finishing of arches, niches in walls, partitions, columns and other architectural elements.
Brick decor in different rooms
Hallway
Brickwork is very popular in the interior of the hallway. Here it is better to choose dark colors, on which dirt will be less noticeable. An antique type of tile with scuffs and cracks will cope well with this.. Sometimes you can line all the walls of the hallway with brick and it won’t seem like an excess. But in most cases, it is appropriate to finish one wall, highlight an arch, a niche for a mirror or another element (examples in the photo below).
In the design of a small hallway, brick decor is often inappropriate. The tiles hide too much space, and their dark tones make the room visually cramped and gloomy. It is most appropriate to use white brick in the interior of a small hallway. Light textured wallpaper as in the next photo will also work.
Living room
The possibilities for using decorative bricks for the living room interior are very wide. Modern design styles often offer the technique of highlighting one wall. It becomes the main “highlight” of the room, and it is on it that the main decor is placed, along with the main recreation area (photo).
When choosing decorative bricks for your living room interior, pay attention to the color.
IN big room with high ceilings, aged red would be most appropriate, and for small rooms it is better to use white (you can replace brick tiles with wallpaper).
Brick decor is a good way to designate a fireplace area in the living room. It is possible to decorate the fireplace itself or the elements framing it, the podium, or parts of the walls with brick. To make the atmosphere of the living room even more cozy, it is good to use fresh flowers and textiles in this relaxation area. rustic style. You will be able to achieve maximum harmony if you choose the antique look of brick tiles.
White brick looks stylish and modern in the interior. The design of the living room will be especially harmonious if you complement the wall with minimalist furniture and laconic decor, as in the photo.
Kitchen
The use of bricks can also be very diverse. A common option for designating a dining area. In this case, the entire wall in the kitchen or part of it is finished. If dinner table is on a podium or separated by an arch, then these architectural elements can be additionally highlighted with brick for the interior.
The technique of finishing with brick tiles is often used kitchen apron. This allows you to add color to modern design kitchens, create an interesting contrast with modern appliances. Tiles made to look like antique masonry will look especially original. Bricks look good in the kitchen interior small sizes, placed on the apron.
An almost win-win option would be fresh flowers in the kitchen. When paired with them, brick tiles work equally well with any design style.
If you are renovating your apartment with your own hands and decide to choose wallpaper with a brick texture, then pay attention to those that can easily withstand wet cleaning (this rule also applies to the hallway).
Bedroom
The most common way to use decorative brick for a bedroom interior is as an accent wall. There may be different options here - antique masonry, white or red brick, textured wallpaper (this is what will become best choice, when the repair is done by hand).
The photo below shows how cozy it becomes in such a room. Brutal brick tiles in wall decoration emphasize the warmth and softness of pillows and textiles. Depending on the chosen design style, the overall picture will be well complemented by flowers, large laconic paintings, voluminous curtains or a canopy.
Decorating apartment walls and individual elements with brick is a very popular topic today. If you do everything yourself, then decorative tiles will help combine different textures for interesting results. However, it is important to understand the installation technology, otherwise it’s easy to ruin everything. When in doubt, it's best to choose high-quality textured wallpaper. Among them there are durable, moisture-resistant types that will be an excellent wall decoration even in the kitchen and hallway.
Video gallery
Decoration of premises is done in many ways. If we consider the cheapest and most accessible technologies for independent implementation, then one of the simplest and cheapest is imitation brickwork.
This design option is applicable to almost any building, regardless of the wall material. How to do this with your own hands, without the involvement of assistants, and especially specialists, we will figure out in this article.
Step-by-step algorithm of actions
Drawing the wall
The easiest way is along a long rail. Naturally, with exact observance of the distances between the horizontal lines (the bricks have the same dimensions). You can focus on the standard. The thickness of single - 6.5, one and a half - 8.8, double - 13.8 (cm).
Application of imitation coating
There are many techniques, so we will limit ourselves to only the most common ones, based on the fact that the work is done independently.
Using adhesive tape (masking tape)
Before starting work, the wall must be painted in the color that should be at the seams. Typically gray or white (or something in between). The fact is that depending on the components and their ratio in the mixture, the dried solution takes on a different shade. Next, horizontal seams are indicated (using tape). After this, it is easy to highlight individual bricks, simulating masonry with shifting products in adjacent rows (pieces of adhesive tape are attached vertically).
Peculiarity: since the tape will then have to be removed, there should be loose ends sufficient to grab them with your fingers. After this, the prepared mixture is applied to the wall.
Important: the consistency of the solution should be such that it does not flow down the wall. And the layer should be applied minimally, no more than 2 - 3 mm.
Option #1- based on gypsum. But this material hardens quickly. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce a so-called “moderator” into the mixture. Its use leads to the fact that the layer of gypsum mortar does not harden for 20 to 40 minutes. Otherwise, it will simply not be possible to remove the tape to mark the masonry seams.
Option No. 2- plaster mixture + tile adhesive (1 to 1). In this case, only the smallest fractions of sand are used in the preparation process. This means that you will have to purchase it specially, since the usual one (from a river or from a quarry), even well sifted, will not work.
Flaws: If the object is large, covering the wall with tape will take a lot of time and material. If the solution hardens too quickly, it can lead to problems in removing the tape from it in order to preserve the appearance of the design.
Stenciled
The method is more complicated, since you will have to prepare the grate. It is made from a sheet of plastic or rubber, knocking out rectangles in it.
In addition, it is advisable to create a template from thin slats, the undoubted advantages of which are:
- the ability to work with solutions that harden quickly, since they have time to “set” and dry;
- a large selection of materials and flexibility in carrying out any set of works. The shape of the structure fully repeats the elements already discussed;
- the ability to create a template directly on the wall and an image of any shape;
- naturalness and authenticity of the appearance of the resulting brickwork.
Flaws: a stencil needs to be made or money must be spent on purchasing a finished product.
Do-it-yourself imitation of a brick wall made of polystyrene foam (ceiling tiles)
For false bricks, flat polystyrene foam tiles without a pattern are suitable. For our purposes, you can use any of its sides. Optimal size“stone” - 7/15 cm. If you increase the proportions, the wall will look unnatural. The process of making “stones” is simple: we squeeze them out of ceiling tiles.
First, we apply markings on the polystyrene foam with seam allowances. Next, we press straight lines, after which we cut out the “bricks” with a painting knife. We glue the finished products with our own hands onto the desired part of the wall. We use glue as a binder for ceramic tiles. There is no need to fill the seams with plaster. The gaps between the “stones” need to be made very small: 1-1.5 mm.
After finishing the gluing work, the bricks need to be painted. We try to apply as much paint as possible into the gaps, thereby creating an imitation of brickwork.
Do-it-yourself imitation of a brick wall using plaster (tile adhesive) For the manufacture of parts, any tile adhesive is used, which is sold in the form of a dry mixture. It needs to be diluted with water until it becomes a very thick sour cream. It is best to use the composition. After that, we will divide the entire mass into 3 parts, adding a little paint to each of them.
It is important that the paint differs in shade in each part.
Mix the mass in each pile like dough. We will get a mass with beautiful stains. Roll it out into a “pancake” and cut bricks of the same size. We lay them out to dry. We do this until we collect the required number of “stones”.
We glue it to the wall using the same tile adhesive. We will fill the seams with a composition painted in a more dark color. At the end, the wall surface can be covered with several layers of varnish.
How to paint false bricks?
To get a more natural shade, you should mix two types of ocher: light and red. Then add a small amount of white to them. To make the texture of the brickwork look like the real thing, we use the stamping technique to apply paints.
We take a sponge and begin to apply the pre-prepared thick mixture to the wall. After which you will need liquid paint in a “burnt bone” shade. We spray it on the bricks using a regular toothbrush.
To make the decor look even more natural, we paint each row in a special way.
The second can be given a tint using mars diluted with water. For the third - use sienna and white. All paints are applied using the same stamping method. Then they continue to alternate shades in the same order. Upon completion of the work, it is recommended to varnish the wall in two layers. If you want to get a matte surface, then lightly sand it with fine sandpaper.
This type of decoration has several subtleties, because due to its characteristics it can either create a special atmosphere or clutter it up.
It is worth remembering that it is not at all necessary to imitate masonry in the area of all walls; one surface out of four, decorated in this way, will be enough. When planning your actions, it is important that you imagine a complete image of your own room - and then everything will work out.
Do-it-yourself imitation of a brick wall - photos of real objects:
Imitation brick in the living room interior
False brick wall in the bathroom
Imitation brick wall
do it yourself from cardboard in the bedroom
Accent wall made of false brick in the hall
Imitation of aged brick
in the living room interior
False foam brick in the hallway
Brick loft in the living room interior
Imitation brick on a kitchen work wall
Figured false brick masonry
in the living room interior
Stenciled false brick in the dining room
Imitation of a wall made of three-color bricks
with your own hands
Living room interior
with false brick finishing: fusion of loft with neo-modern
flight of stairs,
lined with plaster bricks
Imitation of a brick wall in the hallway
Accent wall made of false bricks in the living room
Textured decorative brick
from tile adhesive
Imitation brick wall
do it yourself in the bedroom interior
Combination of natural and false brick
in the interior of the fireplace room
DIY white false brick
in the interior of the office
Imitation brick made of cardboard
on accent wall attics
Brick Ceiling Tile
in the living room interior
Large brick,
screen-printed
False brick accent wall
in a minimalist room
DIY brick imitation
in the interior of a private house
Very...
There is a lot of false brick in the interior. Clearly overkill!
Imitation brick walls
do it yourself in the interior of the hallway
Painted foam brick
In bathroom
False arch made of stencil bricks
in the living room interior
Decoration of walls inside the apartment, as well as the facade of the house decorative bricks or material simulating brickwork– never went out of fashion. However, unfortunately, it is not always possible to use real brick for interior decoration, as it will weigh down the floor slabs of multi-story buildings. In addition, making ideal masonry “for jointing” is not so easy, because this requires at least minimal experience as a mason.
Much easier to use others interesting ways that allow you to achieve the desired result. Imitation brick for interior decoration can be produced in different ways and, characteristically, can be installed by anyone, even a novice finisher.
Considering the fact that brickwork has remained popular for decades and is used to reproduce various interior styles, manufacturers did not miss this moment and developed several types of material that can replace natural brick.
This type of finish is made in different forms– it can be flexible or rigid tiles, the size of the end side of a brick, or large Wall panels, immediately covering an entire section of the wall, made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), MDF or fiberglass cement.
Flexible brick-like tiles
Flexible tiles that imitate brickwork are great for indoor and outdoor use. exterior finishing walls This modern material is not only decorative, but also a protective coating for surfaces and has a number of positive qualities - this includes resistance to external atmospheric influences, impact resistance, vapor permeability, inertness to microorganisms, as well as ultraviolet radiation, and, of course, aesthetic appearance and a fairly simple processing and installation process.
“Flexible brick” is easy to install not only on straight, level surfaces, but also perfectly bends around external and internal corners of rooms.
This material is used to decorate walls inside apartments and houses, in particular, in rooms such as hallways, corridors, kitchens, living rooms, loggias. It is also suitable for external façade walls. It is very convenient to use such tiles for cladding columns, fireplaces, small architectural forms, as well as in any areas where such a design is planned. Regardless of the complexity of the surface configuration.
The tiles can be used to finish the entire wall or attached to individual sections. Since the material has many colors, it is possible to make the finish monochromatic or use tiles different shades, harmoniously combining them with each other.
Installation of “flexible brick”
Installation of flexible tiles does not require complex electric tools. You will only need to prepare:
— an even spatula 120÷150 mm wide – for mixing and applying glue;
- a notched trowel with a ridge 4 mm high and 150÷200 mm wide;
— building level 1000÷1500 mm long;
— a ruler 1000÷1500 mm long;
- colored marking cord for marking lines;
- a simple pencil;
- powerful scissors;
- a brush 12 mm wide for leveling the mortar in tile joints.
For materials other than tiles, you will need a primer for the walls and a special tile adhesive.
For installation, a dry construction mixture can be used - ordinary tile adhesive, but it is more convenient to use a ready-to-use composition packaged in plastic buckets. In any case, when purchasing tiles, you should immediately consult with the seller regarding the adhesive suitable for a particular material.
In order for the masonry to be smooth and neat, the wall must be put in order before installation, by cleaning and leveling its surface. After the leveling solution has dried, the wall must be primed with an antiseptic composition, which will give the materials higher adhesion and will not allow mold to appear under the cladding layer in the future. Once the primer has dried, you can proceed to installing the tiles.
In addition, it is necessary to take into account the fact that installation work must be carried out at a temperature not lower than +5 degrees, otherwise adhesion between the materials will be insufficient, and the tiles may subsequently begin to peel off from the surface of the walls.
- The first step is to outline the wall surface into even zones along which glue will be applied and the tiles will be fixed. If the entire wall is to be covered, then it is necessary to beat off the upper and lower limiting lines.
- The glue is not applied to the entire surface, but to individual, marked zones of about 1000×500 mm. The layer of adhesive mass should be approximately 2÷3 mm - it is applied using an even spatula, and then distributed over the entire area to be covered with a notched trowel to create grooves of the same height.
- The tiles are glued in order, and if the first row starts with a whole tile, then the second - with half or one third of the “brick”, depending on the desired location of the masonry seams.
Dividing the “flexible brick” into pieces at any angle, without using any power tools, is quite simple: it is marked and cut along the line with ordinary scissors.
- The seams between the rows can have different thicknesses - this parameter will depend on the preference of the master, but usually the gap is left at 10 ÷ 12 mm. The selected size of the seams is taken into account immediately when marking the wall into zones for installation.
- “Flexible brick” easily bends around protrusions formed at any angle, as well as internal corners or rounded walls, if they exist on the surface to be finished.
- When the intended surface area is covered with tiles, you need to immediately level the mortar in the horizontal and vertical joints, otherwise the glue will set and it will not be possible to accurately level it. Smoothing the solution is carried out using a relatively thin brush of medium hardness, slightly moistened with water.
The fact that flexible tiles do not require additional purchase of grout for joints can also be safely called an advantage of the material, since you do not have to incur extra costs.
Video: flexible facing tiles with excellent clinker brick imitation
Rigid facing tiles “brick-like”
Decorative tiles are made on the basis various materials, such as gypsum, cement, clay, as well as from a mixture of some of them with the addition of fiber fibers, coloring additives and special plasticizers. Some finishing tile options can be made independently. In addition, imitation of brickwork can be done in other ways.
The technology for laying hard tiles from various materials is almost the same, only suitable ones are used for fixing them on the wall adhesive compositions. The process of installing the finish on the wall will be discussed after brief description types of rigid facing tiles.
Gypsum tiles
Gypsum tiles for interior decoration, imitating brick, can easily be called the most affordable cladding option. The material is light in weight, so it will not be difficult to fix it on the wall, but for high adhesion, when fixing it to the surface, you must use gypsum-based glue. The main disadvantage of such tiles, which do not have protective coating, the material is quite hygroscopic, so it is not recommended for use in rooms with high humidity air.
If the gypsum finishing material has special additives and moisture-proof protective layers, both on the outside and on the back, then it can be used not only in any premises, but even for facade cladding. These tile options are mounted using tile adhesive designed for external works(you can often find the term “for complex bases”).
For the convenience of finishing corners, special shaped elements are produced that will not only make these areas of the wall neat, but also protect the main walls from chipping.
Using this “brick-like” finishing option for wall cladding, you will need to purchase not only the materials mentioned above, but also grout, which is used to fill the seams between the tiles, creating a single sealed layer that protects the entire surface of the wall.
Cement wall tiles
Facing tiles made from cement mortar owe their popularity to the variety of colors and textures, as well as the affordable price of the material. In addition, this type of finishing has good performance characteristics, thanks to which it can be used in any room, even those not equipped with heating for the winter period.
The molding solution for the production of such tiles consists of Portland cement and sand with the addition of water. Typically, brands of Portland cement M400 and M500 are used for it, which is taken in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3 relative to sand.
A solution with a creamy consistency is placed in special Silicone forms, and after it hardens, finished products are obtained, already painted in the mass or requiring external decoration and the application of a protective coating. It is quite possible to make facing material from cement mortar, as well as from gypsum, yourself. Moreover, if it was not possible to find a matrix form of the desired format, then you can also make it yourself.
Artificial stone, including the shape of masonry brick, does not have to be purchased in stores. Everything from making molds to casting tiles can be done on our own. Of course, certain knowledge is required - an article on our portal will help the reader with this.
Clinker tiles
Clinker tiles are not used for interior wall cladding as often as other types of material that imitate brick, as they have a fairly high price. It is often purchased for facades, given its highest performance characteristics. However, it can also be used for interior decoration, especially if you are going to cover a stove or fireplace.
It is made from natural highly plastic clays, without the use of artificial dyes and plasticizers. The raw materials are pressed and fired at high temperatures, reaching up to + 1150÷1200 degrees. Thanks to this, clinker tiles are an environmentally friendly material with unsurpassed natural qualities of durability and reliability, which are multiplied during the production process.
This finishing material is excellent for both interior and façade cladding. It has a very low moisture absorption coefficient, high frost resistance and wear resistance, inertness to temperature changes and almost any chemical influences.
The decorative effect of clinker tiles is not inferior to its physical and technical characteristics, since the variety of design options allows you to choose a material to suit every taste and style of the interior of the premises or the facade of the building. The finish can have a rough, glazed or natural, untreated surface. Tiles on sale different sizes and shapes, and this factor also allows you to bring the most daring design ideas to life.
Installation of brick-like facing tiles
As mentioned above, all tiles that have a certain rigidity are mounted on the wall in approximately the same way. For the work you will need the same tools as for “flexible brick”, and in addition, to cut this material you will need to prepare a hand-held circular saw or a grinding machine with a stone disc.
The work of laying cladding from this type of material is more complex, since the finishing already has significant weight, and after installation it requires careful sealing of the seams between the tiles.
The cladding process is carried out in the following order:
- Laying should be done on a prepared, primed and relatively flat wall.
- Marking the wall surface is carried out in the same way as for installing any piece of cladding material: straight lines are struck along the upper and lower levels of the masonry, then it is recommended that the entire distance between them be calculated and divided horizontally so that the intended number of rows can be accommodated in this area masonry, with mandatory consideration of the thickness of the seams between them. It is especially important to carry out this process if you do not have sufficient experience in wall cladding - marking will help make the masonry perfectly even.
When marking, you need to allocate 10÷12 mm to each of the seams between the rows.
- Next, an adhesive mass is prepared, which is selected in accordance with the type of material on which the finishing tiles are made.
- Laying begins from the bottom row, which is carefully verified by the building level, since the accuracy of the entire wall cladding will depend on its horizontalness. If the first row starts with a whole tile, then the second and all subsequent even rows start with ½ or ⅓ tiles.
- Next, glue is applied to the wall with a spatula in a layer of 3 ÷ 4 mm. After this, the mass is distributed with a notched trowel, which leaves grooves of equal height, ensuring the most uniform distribution of the adhesive when pressing the tile. When laying some heavy types of tiles (the same clinker), it is additionally recommended to apply glue to the back side of the facing material. Therefore, before starting work, you should be sure to study the instructions included with the package, which clarify the nuances of installing a specific material.
- During the installation process, it is necessary to monitor the evenness of each of the laid rows.
- To ensure that the width of the seams between the tiles on the entire tiled surface is the same, some craftsmen use special calibrator tabs of the same size. They are temporarily installed between the rows, and after the adhesive mass has set, they are removed and installed again, but on the upper rows. As such calibrators, you can use a wooden bead or silicone posts.
- To cover external corners, special shaped elements are used that can disguise existing chips and make the corners neat and protected.
- Upon completion of the masonry and after the glue has completely dried, the seams between the tiles must be securely and accurately sealed using grouts specially designed for this purpose. You can fill the seams in different ways:
— Use ready-made formulations in tubes using a special gun.
— Place the mixed grout in plastic bag, and then cut off one of its corners diagonally to the width of the seam and carefully squeeze the solution into the gaps between the rows.
In any case, the grout should not get on the front surface of the cladding - tiles made to look like bricks usually have a pronounced relief texture, and if the solution gets on it, it will be very difficult, and sometimes even impossible, to remove the stain. So accuracy during this operation should be in the foreground, even at the expense of the speed of work.
If this is necessary (most often this happens), the seams are then smoothed using a special tool - a jointer.
The mixed grout composition should be plastic, easy to fill the seams and level. Since such a mixture sets quickly enough, you should not knead a large volume - aim for 15-20 minutes of work.
The process of tiling imitating brick is similar to installing conventional ceramic tiles. Therefore, if you have previously acquired experience in working with tiles, then facing the surface with brick-like material will be successful.
Interior panels for brickwork
For interior decoration, ready-made panels with a “brick-like” relief are produced, which greatly facilitate the installation of finishing, since they immediately cover a large area of the wall and are assembled together using the puzzle principle, end-to-end or other connections.
PVC and MDF panels
The panels are made from different materials, but the most popular of them are those made from polyvinyl chloride - a very common and safe polymer for humans, and from modified wood fiber boards - MDF.
These materials are very easy to work with, as they are easy to cut using a hacksaw or electric jigsaw. Thin panels made of polyvinyl chloride can be cut even with an ordinary stationery knife or scissors.
Decorative boards for internal cladding of surfaces are capable of masking any flaws and unevenness of the walls, and if they are mounted on an equipped frame, they help hide various engineering Communication- pipes or wiring.
In addition to the above options, panels with brickwork relief are also made from hardboard, fiberboard, fiberglass, gypsum, and other materials, but PVC and MDF remain the most popular.
By color scheme the panels are very diverse, the size of the imitation bricks can also differ, so from them you can choose exactly the option that will ideally fit into the interior design of the room.
PVC panels have many advantages that allow them to be used in rooms with different levels of humidity. They do not require additional painting or leveling of the surface for installation. Some panel models are complemented thermal insulation material - mineral wool, polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam. They are called thermal panels, but they are mainly used for external insulation of walls on the facade side. If necessary, these slab options can also be used for finishing balconies - they will not only become good insulation, but will also make a significant contribution to the soundproofing of rooms.
Unlike PVC panels, MDF finishing is not recommended for use in rooms with high humidity, but it is perfect for lining the walls of hallways, corridors, insulated balconies, and living rooms.
Manufacturers also thought about the design of the corners, making special shaped elements for this.
Glass fiber reinforced concrete panels
Special mention should be made of glass fiber reinforced concrete panels. This facing material is made on the basis of ordinary cement with the addition of glass fiber, which increases the strength of the slabs tens of times. For external finishing, panels can be additionally reinforced metal elements, which increase the weight of the structure, but make it resistant to mechanical stress.
Reinforced only with fiberglass, the panels do not have a particularly intimidating weight, and their dimensions are still compact in thickness. The solution for their manufacture is colored in the mass, so the slabs are not afraid of small chips and abrasions. Some manufacturers, when producing molding sand, add colored glass fiber to it, which is slightly darker or lighter than the main tone, but is in perfect harmony with it - this gives a very interesting effect. In addition, additional application of paint to the surface of finished and assembled products is allowed.
The facing material is well suited for interior decoration, but still more often it is used to transform the façade of the walls of a building.
Environmentally friendly slabs do not weigh down the walls, as they have a small mass. They perfectly protect surfaces from moisture and mechanical influences, as well as from the penetration of radio emissions into the house, and have a number of other attractive advantages. However, the cost of such facing materials is quite high, so not every owner can afford such finishing.
Installation of brick panels on the wall
If the wall surface is fairly flat, then the panels can be fixed to it without installing a frame structure. Lightweight PVC boards are glued to a cleaned and primed surface using one of the polymer adhesives. For example, “liquid nails” are well suited for this.
Finishing panels based on MDF have significantly more weight, so in addition to glue, they are fixed to the wall with dowels in four to five places.
Glass fiber reinforced concrete panels can be fixed to flat wall using cement-based tile adhesive.
In the case when the wall surfaces have significant distortions, they are corrected by fixing frame structure, consisting of metal guides or wooden beam, set exactly in the required plane according to the building level. Some manufacturers make special subsystems for their products, mounted on the wall or on an installed frame. In this case, the panels are hung on special elements of the subsystems.
Subsystems may have different designs, therefore, when purchasing facing slabs and fastening systems to them, it is necessary to check the compatibility and availability of the attached instructions for performing installation work.
It is clear that if you plan to install panels on a subsystem, the frame elements must be located in accordance with the features of this model.
The most simple view fastenings have plastic panels, made according to the principle of siding construction. They have a special perforated mounting strip in the upper part, through the holes of which the slab is fixed to the wall or frame. In this case, horizontal sheathing elements are fixed to the wall surface, at a distance from the visible part of the slab.
Installation of any facing panels begins from the bottom of the wall, usually from the corner elements.
Homemade wall design options for brickwork
If you want to save money by making an imitation of brickwork on one of the walls of an apartment or house with your own hands, you can use original techniques developed by folk craftsmen.
There are several common options that will not require special costs for the purchase of facing slabs or panels, and also do not create any special difficulties in installation:
- Self-production of polystyrene foam tiles with a thickness of 10÷12 mm. For this purpose, it is recommended to use extruded material with higher performance indicators than conventional white foam.
- Creating a brickwork relief using a stencil.
- Reproduce the desired design on the wall using masking tape.
Brick-like tiles made of polystyrene foam
If you plan to use the process of melting the edges of foam plastic in the manufacture of tiles, then the work should be carried out outdoors, protecting the respiratory tract with a respirator, since this material is flammable and releases toxic substances when burned and melted.
- The first step is on the prepared, leveled and primed wall surface, using a ruler, plumb line, building level and a simple pencil marking of “brickwork” is carried out. The wall is drawn on horizontal stripes and vertical partitions that determine the size of the bricks and the joints between them and the masonry courses.
- The second step is to mark the sheet of polystyrene foam into tiles of the selected size.
- Then the material is cut into individual elements with a stationery knife. The number of such blocks must correspond to the number of bricks required to decorate a certain section of the wall on which the marking was made.
- Next, in order to achieve the most reliable effect of imitation brick, you need to work on the resulting tile - this can be done in different ways. Its surface is treated with sandpaper in different or one direction, and notches and grooves are made on it with a knife or other sharp instrument. You can also use a heated soldering iron for these purposes.
Another option is to melt the edges and outside tiles using a regular lighter or torch. In this case, the front surface takes on soft, smooth shapes.
- After painting the tiles in the chosen color, its relief will be more pronounced. Paint can be applied before installing the tiles or after the wall cladding is completely completed.
Painting can be done using a brush or spraying the coloring composition from a can. The main thing is that the paint does not cause dissolution or softening of polystyrene foam - it is better not to experiment with organic-based compositions, giving preference to water-soluble ones.
- Laying of foam tiles is carried out according to wall markings using “liquid nails” glue, which is applied to the back surface in three points with a thickness of 3–4 mm.
- The final stage will be the design of the seams between the bricks and rows.
- It should be noted that if the design does not provide for highlighting the tile joints with a different color, then painting the cladding can be done after the grout solution has dried.
Imitation of brickwork using a stencil
In order to make an imitation of brickwork using a stencil, you will need a cement-based mortar. It is best to purchase it in the form of a ready-made dry building mixture for plastering work, since it already has all the necessary additives that make it plastic and convenient for work.
The solution can be made independently from two materials - this is a plaster and adhesive cement mixture, which are taken in proportions of 1:1. To increase the plasticity of the solution, add a tablespoon of liquid detergent for 5 kg of finished mixture.
- The wall must be well cleaned, primed and dried.
- The solution can be applied to its surface using a wide spatula or simply with a rubber-gloved hand. The thickness of the applied layer should be equal to the thickness of the stencil strips. This moment will depend on what kind of surface the brick should have - smooth or rough.
- Further, so that the stencil does not have “stickiness” with the layer of applied solution and is easily separated from it, it should be moistened with water - this can be done with a sponge or damp cloth. If the stencil is made of rubber, then you can simply dip it in a basin of water, but in this case you need to wait for the excess to drain, otherwise excess moisture can ruin the whole work.
- After this, the stencil is pressed against the applied fresh plaster and carefully pressed so that the relief of the brickwork remains on it.
- Next, the stencil is removed and applied further, next to the just pressed relief. Here you need to try and apply it so that the masonry is even and its horizontal seams do not become distorted.
- When the relief has been applied to the entire surface, it is left until completely dry.
- After drying, the wall should be completely covered with one color - usually light shades are chosen for this, since it will be easiest to apply any color to them, as well as highlight it with a dark shade or leave all the masonry seams light.
Painting imitation brickwork is already a creative process, so you can allow yourself various fantasies. In this case, of course, it is necessary to keep in mind that the chosen color will set the mood for the entire interior of the room.
Creating a brickwork relief using plaster and masking tape
For this technology of reproducing imitation brickwork on the wall, you will need the cement composition already mentioned above plaster mortar and masking tape. Some craftsmen even use electrical tape, however, it does not adhere to the wall well, while high-quality masking tape has excellent adhesion to any surface.
The width of the tape should be no more than 14 mm, and if you couldn’t find tape of that width, you’ll have to buy a wider one and carefully cut it in half right in the skein. If its edges are not perfectly smooth, this is not a big deal at all, since this factor will not affect the accuracy of the relief, but rather will even play into your hands.
- The first step is to mark the prepared surface of the wall to be tiled for brickwork.
- Next, masking tape is glued along all the marked lines on the wall. It should be secured so that the edges of the horizontal pieces of tape extend beyond the edges of the surface being designed, and the solution should not be applied to them, and the vertical pieces should be well glued to the horizontal ones, always on top of them.
- Then, on the surface of the wall, on top of the glued grid of adhesive tape, using a wide spatula, apply a solution with a layer thickness of 5-6 mm - the height of the relief will depend on this parameter. Do not apply too thick a layer, otherwise you will have to cover the seams with grout.
- After applying the solution completely to the entire wall, you can walk over it with a damp rubber glove to create a textured surface. If you plan to leave the surface of the “bricks” flat, then you should not touch the mortar layer.
- The most interesting stage in this method of simulating brickwork is removing the masking tape, since after this operation the relief of the wall will be immediately visible. Several strips of adhesive tape are picked up from one of the free sides and begin to be carefully peeled off from the wall, and as a result, in place of the peeled tape, seams are formed between the “ brick tiles" After removing the tape from the entire surface, the wall should be left until completely dry.
- It is recommended to prime a dry wall before painting - this operation will make the surface more pliable for the next stage - painting, since the paint will lie evenly on the surface and will not be absorbed into the surface. plaster layer. Which shades to choose for the wall depends on the preference of the master.
Video: How to imitate brickwork using plaster and masking tape
From all of the above, we can conclude that the construction market has an oversupply of various materials that perfectly imitate brickwork or other stone surfaces. Sometimes the quality of the imitation is such that when finished, it is impossible to distinguish it from real brick by texture and color. Well, what if the finished tiles or panels do not fit into the frame? family budget, then it is quite possible to use one of the more economical ways, and decorate the wall using affordable materials.
