How to make a decorative brick or stone with your own hands
Do It Yourself Educational Program / / December 28, 2020
How to make decorative styrofoam brick
The simplest way to create decorative tiles to simulate brick or masonry, which requires a minimum of materials and tools. The only drawback is that due to styrene emissions and high flammability, these tiles are undesirable for use in residential premises.
What is needed
- Extruded polystyrene foam 20 mm thick;
- sharp knife;
- level;
- pencil.
How to do
- Decide on the size of the tiles. A standard brick has a side surface of 250 × 65 mm, but it is not necessary to tie to it: the dimensions can be arbitrary.
- Using a level and a pencil, mark the size of the future tiles on the EPSS sheet.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the material into pieces along the lines. This can be done both by level (if you need to get perfectly smooth edges), or simply by hand (if you want more naturalness).
- Cut the pieces into thick pieces to form two thin tiles each. The expanded polystyrene is quite dense, so it is convenient to use a knife with teeth and cut through the pieces in several passes.
- With the blade at an angle, chamfer along the contour of the tiles. Trim the resulting halves by cutting off everything unnecessary from them. Or, alternatively, give the surface a rougher look.
- The finished elements are attached with a smooth surface to the wall close to each other or with a gap imitating a masonry joint. Then, if necessary, they are primed and painted.
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How to make decorative drywall brick
The most popular alternative to expensive gypsum tiles. The manufacturing process is simple but rather tedious, especially in large areas. The budget is minimal, since the cost is equal to the price of drywall, and even trimmings are used. Due to the ease of processing with such tiles, if desired, you can give any shape and texture.
What is needed
- Drywall of any thickness;
- sharp knife;
- level;
- pencil.
How to do
- Select the size of the bricks. You can observe the proportions of real materials or come up with something of your own.
- Draw on drywall with a pencil and line level according to the chosen dimensions.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the top layer of the paper along the marked lines. It is not necessary to cut perfectly straight with a level. It is enough to simply guide the blade along the markings: small deviations will only give individuality to each brick.
- Flip the drywall over, break it, and cut the remaining paper from the back. Do not throw away the short cuttings; later they can be used as halves and small pieces of brick.
- If desired, you can additionally cut the corners of each tile along the contour, as well as make chips and scratches to give a unique texture.
- The finished tiles are attached to the walls with tile adhesive close to each other or with the desired gaps. After the glue dries, the top layer of paper is removed from the bricks - for this it is moistened and peeled off with a chisel. Then the surface is primed and then varnished or painted in the desired color.
How to make a decorative plasterboard stone with plastering
An improved version of the previous method. The basis of the tiles is the same gypsum board, but the texture is created by applying a layer of plaster. This method allows you to make thicker stones with a pronounced relief and eliminates the need to remove a layer of paper from drywall, which saves great time with large volumes of work.
What is needed
- Drywall of any thickness;
- gypsum plaster;
- primer;
- putty knife;
- plastic trowel (trowel);
- sharp knife;
- roller;
- level.
How to do
- Use a roller to thoroughly primer the drywall on both sides and allow to dry.
- Take gypsum plaster and mix a small amount according to the instructions on the package.
- Using a plastic trowel, apply a layer of plaster 3-4 mm on the surface of the gypsum board. Do not try to smooth it perfectly evenly, it is useless.
- Then, with the trowel on the sheet, move along the long side of the sheet to create the texture of the stone.
- Apply a thin strip of plaster to the edge of the tool and, holding the trowel at an angle, touch the surface of the drywall to create striped vertices. This will add extra volume to the imitation stone.
- As soon as the mixture dries up a little and no longer sticks to your hands, mark with a pencil and a level the future tiles according to the selected sizes.
- Applying a level to the drawn lines, draw along them with a spatula blade. There is no need to cut drywall - it is enough to outline a layer of plaster.
- After the mixture is completely dry, cut the plasterboard with a knife along the marked lines, and then break the sheet and cut the paper from the back. Trim the ends of the tiles with a knife or rubbing them together.
- Then the surface of the tiles is primed again, painted in the desired color and attached to the walls with tile glue.
How to make a decorative plaster stone in a homemade form
Another way of producing tiles is by casting from a plaster mix. The production is even cheaper and easier. The simplest form with sides is made of a piece of chipboard, cable duct and film. Stones and bricks are obtained with the correct geometry and texture, not inferior to purchased tiles.
What is needed
- Sample tile;
- gypsum;
- bucket;
- plastic bottle for 5-6 liters;
- a piece of chipboard;
- oilcloth;
- fiberglass;
- sponge for dishes;
- cable channel 12 × 12 mm;
- screws with a press washer;
- plastic trowel;
- putty knife;
- roller;
- screwdriver.
How to do
- The first step is to make a mold. To do this, find a suitable piece of chipboard or plywood. Take a thick oilcloth and cut it to the size of the base.
- Remove the covers from the cable channels and attach the boxes around the perimeter of the chipboard piece with screws, thus pressing the oilcloth.
- Cut the trunking covers into pieces that will fit the tiles. Install them in place, and then cut the boxes along them. Later, a spatula will be inserted into these slots to separate the bricks.
- Stir the plaster of paris with water in a cut plastic bottle until it becomes a sour cream and add fiberglass for strength. Instead, you can tousle a polypropylene bag and simply cut threads from the canvas.
- Pour the plaster mixture into the mold and distribute it evenly. Tap the edges lightly to avoid voids. When the casting dries a little, stir it with a plastic trowel to give the texture of the stone.
- Divide the still uncured plaster into tiles. To do this, insert a long spatula into the frame slots and press down. Use a dish sponge to blot the casting to form a porous structure.
- Remove the frame on either side and remove the tiles one at a time. Gently pick them up with a spatula and, if necessary, cut along the joints with a knife.
- Next, the finished stones are primed and painted. Then they are attached to the walls with tile glue.
How to make decorative plaster brick in siding
An easy way to get quality castings without the hassle of making a mold. The basement siding panel is used as a matrix for the tiles; the pattern can be selected at your discretion. The tiles are easily detached from the vinyl, the elements are thin and very high quality.
What is needed
- Basement siding;
- gypsum;
- PVA glue;
- fiberglass;
- putty knife.
How to do
- If the siding panel is long, cut it in two for convenience.
- Prepare a plaster mix at the rate of 0.6 l of water, 1 g of fiberglass and 100 g of PVA glue per 1 kg of gypsum. First dissolve the glue in cold water, add fiber and stir well. Add gypsum gradually and bring the composition to a homogeneous mass.
- Turn the panel over and pour the mixture into the mold cavities. Tap the edges of the die for better filling. Smooth the casting with a spatula, removing excess plaster from the edges between the tiles.
- Wait until the workpieces are completely dry. Keep the shape suspended and, bending slightly, loosen the edges of the tiles, and then remove them completely.
- With a spatula, cut a thin crust along the contour of the tiles. Before the next pouring, rinse the mold with water and clean it from the remains of gypsum.
- Next, the stones are primed on both sides and placed on the wall with tile adhesive. If you are satisfied with the white color, it is enough to cover the surface with a transparent varnish. If desired, the tiles can be painted.
How to make a decorative plaster stone without a shape
The most budgetary way and just ideal for those who do not want to bother. The tiles are cast without any shape, directly on the film. The desired layer is formed from the mixture, which is given the desired texture. Then the workpiece is divided into separate pieces with a spatula. Well suited for both rough stones and smooth bricks.
What is needed
- Gypsum;
- dense film;
- putty knife;
- marker.
How to do
- Make a stencil out of thick plastic wrap. With a marker, draw a grid on it, the cells of which will correspond to the sizes of future tiles.
- Prepare the mixture. To do this, dissolve 9-10 heaped tablespoons of gypsum in 0.5 liters of water and stir until the consistency of liquid sour cream.
- Carefully pour the plaster of Paris onto the film so that part of the mesh around the perimeter remains visible, and spread the mixture evenly over the surface with a spatula. Wait a bit until the plaster begins to thicken, and trim the edges of the fill, pulling the mixture to the previously marked grid lines.
- Apply the desired texture to the casting surface by lightly touching the spatula. Too high tops can be smoothed out or, conversely, made the stones as chaotic as possible.
- Trim the edges of the workpiece with a spatula, and then divide it into separate tiles with the corner of the tool, focusing on the lines of the stencil grid.
- After the plaster has set, lift the foil and separate the tiles by prying them off with a spatula. Clean the ends of the stones by cutting off the remaining thin crust.
- The finished elements are primed and attached to the wall using tile adhesive. If necessary, the surface is painted or varnished.
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