Artificial brick made of foam: a lesson on finishing with your own hands

It may be intimidating to remodel your house with the allure of brick, but foam can be used in an inventive and reasonably priced way to accomplish this look. Foam-based artificial brick is a flexible material that replicates the rustic charm of real brick without the high cost or difficult installation. A stunning makeover that adds character and style can be achieved in any room with a little perseverance and imagination.

The DIY project is ideal for individuals who enjoy getting their hands dirty and working on home renovation projects. Because foam bricks are lightweight and simple to cut, you can alter their size and shape to fit any area. Foam bricks offer countless options for improving the interior of your home, whether you’re looking to add texture to a kitchen backsplash or create an accent wall in the living room.

Working with artificial foam bricks is a great way to achieve professional-looking results without having to be an expert. By using the appropriate instruments and supplies, you can create a stunning surface that looks authentic brick. We’ll walk you through the process of cutting, prepping, and assembling foam bricks in this guide, along with advice on painting and sealing them to give them a long-lasting, authentic appearance. Prepare to let your creative side run wild and turn your walls into a work of brick art!

What does a foam wall look like in the interior

Brick walls come in "loft" and "Provence" styles, and they can be painted white or left in their natural shade. The interior of the living room, bedroom, or kitchen can be decorated with faux bricks. They usually finish one wall decoratively and leave the remaining walls for painting or wallpapering.

The wall-mounted decorative items look good against the soothing, repeating texture of the brickwork.

Given that foam is a good sound insulator, it makes sense to use it as much as possible to decorate the brick wall that houses your TV in the middle of your living room. This is crucial if the apartment has good audio quality and you don’t want the speaker system’s noises to bother your neighbors or enter the adjacent bedroom.

Features of finishing

Let’s look at the characteristics of polyurethane foam, or foam plastic, as a material for decorative finishing.

First of all, keep in mind that foam sheets differ in density and strength and are designed for wall insulation and soundproofing, so exercise caution when selecting foam sheets that mimic brick.

Among the material’s benefits are:

• light weight, false brick holds well on the wall;
• easy to cut and process;
• does not create dust and dirt, this is important when working indoors;
• foam is cheaper than plaster, brick tiles or high-quality wallpaper, but its cost must be added to the cost of paint and glue.

A foam wall’s weakness is its lack of strength. Dents from collisions and irresponsible movements may still show up on high density sheets, which maintain their shape well and do not crumble. For this reason, creating ornamental brickwork out of foam in areas with heavy operational loads, such as hallways, dining rooms, and children’s rooms, is not advised.

What is needed for work

You will need sheets of dense polystyrene foam to create artificial bricks. In general, it’s referred to as foam plastic and can be:

• "Penoplex", used for insulation of buildings. The thinnest one will do – 20 mm.
• Foam plastic. It is better to take with a high density (for example, PPS-35).
• PVC sandwich panels with polystyrene foam, which are used for finishing slopes. Such a sandwich brick needs to be cut lengthwise into two parts. On one side there will be foam plastic, on the other – PVC base.

The following works well to glue foam bricks to the wall:

Adhere "liquid nails" such as "Titan" or "Moment Montage." When laying out the brickwork one piece at a time—that is, gluing the foam rectangles one at a time—liquid nails are required.

Foam mounting. It allows you to glue an entire foam plastic sheet onto which the masonry imitation is built. This will be a cumbersome method for single bricks. Concrete, aerated concrete, plaster, and drywall are strong rough bases on which the foam sticks well. The mounting foam detaches from the glossy PVC panels. When purchasing, pay attention to the amount of polyurethane in the cylinder; less may be present for the same volume of foam. "Macroflex" (MAKROFLEX) is a reasonable choice.

Glue used as insulation. There is also the option of directly mounting foam sheets beneath the brick. A glue that is employed in the Ceresit CT 85, Unis Teplokley, Weber wet facade installation process. This Knauf Sevener Therm S100 is appropriate.

Glue gun. It works well for adhering ornamental bricks made of sandwich panels, such as those with a smooth PVC foundation.

How to make bricks from foam plastic

You must mark the foam, cut the bricks using the template, create masonry joints on the sheet, and add texture to the surface in order to replicate a brick wall. After that, the wall is painted and the decorative finish is adhered to.

Let’s examine the under-the-brick decorating technology in more detail.

• Marking. If the polystyrene foam sheets are to be glued whole without cutting, then a brickwork should be drawn on them with a marker or pencil. To cut out individual false bricks, you can make a cardboard template.

A standard single brick measures 250 by 120 by 60 millimeters. T.e., a 250 * 60 mm template is required for marking the foam. A one and a half brick, with a height of 88 mm, is frequently used as cladding. Brick spacing divided by mortar joint thickness equals one centimeter.

• Cutting. Expanded polystyrene is easily cut with any construction knife with a retractable blade. There are no problems with cutting sandwich panels, the upper PVC layer is cut together with a layer of foam, the lower plastic layer after which is broken along the cut line.

Decorative bricks can have their edges chamfered with a knife for aesthetic appeal.

The seams are easiest to form with a soldering iron if the entire sheet is covered in masonry imitation because foam melts quickly. The pressure and depth of the masonry joint are adjusted by using a soldering iron along its length. Initially, parallel to each other, horizontal grooves are made from edge to edge. The space between them should be 60 or 88 mm, depending on the height of the brick. After that, the vertical seams burn out and the synthetic bricks’ final shapes take shape.

Take note! Burning expanded polystyrene releases toxins. Burn only in an area with good ventilation and wear a mask to prevent smoke from entering your lungs.

• Creating a texture. To make the decorative wall look like a real brick wall, you need to give it the same rough texture. This can be done with a brush with metal bristles. They press it on the sheets, run it over the surface, creating pits and grooves on the foam. You can also give the bricks relief with a soldering iron or a lighter. This will be shown in more detail later in the video tutorial.
• Installing the bricks. To secure the finished decor, you need "liquid nails", foam glue or another glue mentioned above. Prepared rectangles are glued directly to the wall along the horizontal line, leaving a gap of 1 cm – the masonry joint. After laying the first row, move half a brick to the side and glue the second row. Then repeat the process.

Another installation option is to replicate masonry on a large sheet of material, like plywood or drywall, rather than directly on the wall. The gypsum board is lying on the floor, which is advantageous because it can sometimes be easier to glue horizontally rather than vertically. These sheets are screwed to the wall or frame once the decoration is complete.

• Painting the wall. To complete the finishing, the decorative coating must be painted. Which color to choose depends on the overall style of the room. A popular option is a pure white wall. If you need to create a brick color, you will have to tint the paint in a red-brown shade. The seams of artificial masonry can be made white or in the color of gray cement-sand mortar.

Crucial! Selecting paints without solvents is essential when painting polystyrene foam as they will prevent the material from being ruined. Paints that are water-based, acrylic paints in cans, or spray cans work well.

Anybody looking to improve their interior space can tackle a rewarding and doable project by using foam to create an artificial brick finish. With this method, you can create a chic and country aesthetic without using bulky or costly materials. You can turn plain walls into a charming feature that looks like real brick by following the instructions provided in this article.

Preparing your foam pieces, creating your layout, and carefully attaching them to your walls are the steps in the process. You can alter the appearance to fit both the aesthetic of your house and your own tastes with a little bit of imagination and attention to detail. This project adds a distinctive, personalized touch that showcases your craftsmanship in addition to improving the space’s aesthetic appeal.

Making a foam brick finish is a project that can be customized to your ability level and available materials, regardless of your experience level with do-it-yourself projects. The visual makeover of your room is only one aspect of finishing this project; the other is the confidence and skills you acquired along the way. Accept the chance to be creative and take pleasure in the fruits of your labor.

Creating an artificial brick finish using foam is a cost-effective and versatile way to enhance your walls, adding texture and character to any room. This hands-on project involves crafting foam bricks, which are lightweight and easy to work with, making it an ideal DIY activity for both beginners and experienced decorators. By following a few simple steps, you can transform plain walls into stunning brick-like surfaces, achieving a rustic or modern look without the expense and hassle of real bricks. This approach not only provides aesthetic appeal but also allows for creative customization, enabling you to choose the size, color, and style of your artificial bricks to suit your personal taste and interior design vision.

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