If you have a plain wall or concrete floor, indoor or out, that is in need of a makeover, faux brickwork can be the ideal solution. Using readily available reusable stencils, you can transform a surface into an eye-catching feature. It’s a quick and easy faux painting technique that is ideal for beginners.

Brick Finishes

Brick finishes can complement many styles of decor. They can look trendy and modern, adding warmth and color to a room. Old brickwork has a soft and time-worn quality that is attractive indoors and out. In the garden or on the patio, plain walling or an ugly concrete slab floor can be transformed into an appealing feature of your living space.

Faux painting using brick stencils is an economical and practical answer to various problems. If you have brickwork that needs restoration, it may be the ideal solution. Damaged brickwork is difficult to repair and stripping brickwork of paint often reveals an unsightly surface beneath. Extending actual brickwork - if you can find matching bricks - is messy and expensive. Paint can give you the appearance you want without the hassle of construction work.

The Pros and Cons of Stencils

Especially if you’re new to faux painting, brick stencils have many pluses and few minuses. In some cases (for example, if you need to match existing brickwork) you may have to mark out your design manually, or create your own stencil to match what you already have. If you can buy a stencil to suit your purpose you will save a lot of time. The only real downside of stencils is that their fixed size can create problems with corners and edges (especially curved edges, for example around a circular or arched window).

Choosing a Design

You’ll be spoiled for choice when choosing amongst the patterns of brick stencil on the market. You will need to consider which design best suits the space or surface that you’ll be making over.

Different brick sizes and patterns create different textural effects. Choose a scale and degree of texture that fits your room or surface. Large and small brick patterns will be most suitable for different spaces. Some stencils are available from retailers in custom sizes.

You will also need to consider how a design will complement your room and its architectural and decorative style. Swirling or irregular patterns can create a soft effect and may go well in older or cottage-like homes and traditional-style gardens. Plain rows or geometric designs, including herringbone patterns, may suit a more modern house.

Be Creative

Sometimes the best effects are produced by breaking the rules. You can play with colors other than browns and reds, exploiting brickwork patterns and texture, rather than slavishly simulating the real thing. Faux bricks can be made to look clean and new or you can go for the aged and distressed look, enhanced with the use of faux painting techniques. Stencils are the basic method but there is plenty of scope for experimentation and innovation.