Faux Brick

[Mickm]

I have started the build of my new house and shop and was wondering if anyone has used faux brick in their builds?

I am wanting a couple brick walls in my shop for my "old Detroit garage" theme and trying to get by cheaper than using real brick.

Any input or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mickm

 

[8man]

I've used faux stone and it was not cheaper than some real stone. So I guess it depends on how you want to set up your "faux brick" whether or not it would be cheaper. If you have to build the wall with the backer to hold the faux brick, just stacking brick might be cheaper. Good luck.

 

[Gerald O]

I looked into this for my own garage and never found a cheap solution. Even brick wallpaper runs close to $1 sqft. Real brick veneer or 'thin brick' runs $7-$10 sqft.

I eventually got a good deal for some thin brick on craigslist.
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=3267697&postcount=49

Plan on doing the back inside wall. Installation is still going to be expensive. I'll either need to do a stucco style scratch coat backing or install a cement backer board. The thin brick will go on with thinset mortar, just like tile.

 

[Lippyp]

My garage is built entirely of hand-made brick!

 

[RossABQ]

I did a wall in a house I used to own, with the 1/2"-thick brick. Just glued it to existing plaster wall, no grout. It looked really nice, zero maintenance indoors. In a garage you would have to vacuum the dust off it, no big deal.

 

[bushmechanic]

I've got a section on the back of one of my counters that's tiled, and I want to replace that with brick, but I certainly don't want to build a wall in here.

I was thinking about getting some of those fake brick panels that slot together, and just gluing them on. There's a company on the net that even offers the corner bits to match.

Can't remember what they are called, though. I'll find them again when it's time to do the work.

 

[7th Kahuna]

Check some of your local building supply stores that specialize in brick, stone and tile. Unfortunately, as others have suggested, faux brick, that actually looks like brick, isn't especially cheap. In my experience it's used not because it is cheaper, but because of issues with weight and / or space allowance. If price is the primary issue, had you considered having a faux painter come in and do the job? I work with a contractor who has done some remarkable paint and plaster work at Disneyland. I have no idea what it would cost but might be another option.

 

[Kevin54]

My son is a Body Shop Manager in another town. He was allowed to set up his own office. I'll have to find the pics to post, but he took the 4x8 sheets of fake brick paneling and white washed it, then wiped it off. After that , he put his LOGO on the front of it. You could not tell the cheap panels from a real brick wall that had been painted and worn out over the years.

As soon as I find the pic, I'll post it.

 

[1938flatty]

Just completed this very same project in our bar area. This was called Thin Brick. Got this from my local brick yard. Spent about $10 per square foot. The corners are expensive. Very easy to do.

 

[rburke65]

Wow...$10 sq. Ft. That's $320 for a 4' x 8' area! Yikes!

 

[1938flatty]

If you don't have corners it would be alot cheaper and it's real brick and mortar.