Sooo excited about this faux brick wall I created using joint compound, a level, trowel and my finger. That’s your materials list!!! A little messy but easy to wash up!

To determine the size of a brick I wandered out to my sidewalk. Some grout lines are wider than others and brick shapes vary making it perfectly imperfect.

Decided to replicate the same size and cut a “brick” piece from a folder measuring 3.5″x7.5″.

Basically use a trowel to smear joint compound on the wall. Apply the thickness as evenly and consistently as possible. I worked in a small sections.

Here’s my scientific process to create the brick shapes. I stuck my “brick” to the bottom of the wall and pressed the level across the top.

I ran my finger across the wall horizontally over the level to create a grout line. Then I moved my brick along the new row drawing in the vertical lines every 7.5″ with my finger.

I worked on one section of the wall at a time. It’s ok to press your level right into the compound. It is easy to clean your tools with water so don’t worry about getting messy. You can use the sink or hose for the trowel. I took my level in the shower with me. While I got cleaned up from the project I just let the hot water wash off the level.

I suppose you could at the top or bottom of the wall. I chose to start with a full row of bricks at the bottom since it’s more visual than the top row.

You can stop anytime and come back to the project.

Halfway done in just a few hours. It fully dries in 24 hours.

Cracked open a second container from Ace. This one was dark gray, a bit thicker and I preferred working with this one. Both did the trick but I liked this one better.

The Ace compound dried different color than the one I bought at Lowe’s. The light gray in the middle of the wall is the color of dried Ace compound and it’s still wet at the top of this picture. I didn’t expect 2 colors but it really doesn’t matter because I planned to paint it to make it more realistic. As usual I’m winging things and working through surprises.

I had these paint colors on hand and decided to use the white to cover the gray toned compound. Then gray paint was used to add grout lines and age the bricks a bit.

I painted in all the grout lines plus brushed some gray on bricks here and there. I used a wet rag to do some quick blending if I felt it was too dark.

Here’s the wall once definition was added. I let it dry overnight.

Loved peeking in there and seeing my faux brick wall the next morning. Paint really made it more realistic.

I began sanding the wall to both soften both the texture and color. Higher the grit the faster and easier it goes.

The lower half is sanded here in this photo and appears softer. This part was messy and created a lot of fine powdery dust.

BEFORE- A throw back to the mudroom when we moved in 2 years ago. I just recently removed that built-in ironing board which left a gaping hole in the wall. I patched it and created the brick over it. Now you would never know it was ever there and we will never miss it!

AFTER- the mudroom today. Many changes, many projects and now it’s one of my favorite spaces in the house.

My grand finale was adding a floating shelf for the Danes to walk up and eat on. I can easily slide the food containers under the shelf for streamlined dining and storage.

And that’s a wrap. Hope this explains and inspires you to hit the bricks~Kristen