How to Create the Look of Stones or Bricks with Paint

If you like the look of stone or brick but do not like the weight or work to get it done, you can achieve the look with the right application and technique of paint by following these basic instructions.

First you want to gather your supplies. You are going to need the following.

Paint drop cloth

Painters tape

Latex paint in three colors (the base, the grout and the highlighting). One of the colors needs to be off-white.

Paint brushes (a large and smaller one)

Pencil

Yard stick

Liner

Paint Sponge (optional)

Make sure you are working on a clean surface that has been washed and thoroughly dried. Apply painters tape to areas where paint may bleed that you do not want it to go to. Put your drop cloth in place.

Use your large brush to put your base coat on. You do not want to use a roller for this because you want random long strokes to create a faux stone finish. The color you use for this will be the base color of your stones. Allow to dry thoroughly.

Now you want to use an off-white latex paint with a brand new paint brush to go over the base coat. Use the same random sweeping strokes to create the faux stone finish. Make sure to mottle your brush before painting because you do not want it too wet. You also want to make sure you are not entirely covering the base layer. The whole reason for this application is to help authenticate the look of your 'stones.'

Allow to dry thoroughly.

Use a yard stick to pencil in the marks for the outline of each of your stones. With a liner and the color of latex paint you will be using for your grout effect, outline each block carefully. Grout is never a perfect square, so you do not have to be perfectly straight, but it is never too erratic either, so you do want to use care here. Study real stones or bricks that have mortar in between them to see where you want to go heavy with the paint and where you want to be consistent. Make sure you curve a little in each corner to achieve the desired ending effect. Allow to dry.

Use the off-white latex paint again and a small paintbrush to apply paint in areas where you want to highlight the bricks. If they are all one color and flat they will not look real.

If you want to achieve this look in a faster manner you can skip steps one and two above and simply use a paint sponge to put your base coat on to a white surface and allow to dry completely. Then pencil in your bricks and proceed as directed above.

The trick to creating bricks or stones out of paint is to study the real thing, note color changes and where they most readily sit when applied and mimic that look with your paint. Be careful to note where shadows and highlights would be. Also be careful to study how mortar and grout appear on a real application.

You now have a unique look to make your room look sturdy, older, weathered, or whatever desired effect you have painted form the faux stones or bricks. This is a great application for a basement wall or a playroom.