Polystyrene brick

Increasingly, in the field of interior design, they use brick walls as an additional decorative element. Less commonly, brick is used in its original form. That is why experts often imitate it, using certain tricks. This decor element is created on the basis of wooden bricks, gypsum blocks and polystyrene foam. The latter material is used in most cases, because it allows you to put into practice any texture and pattern. Today we will tell you what advantages the use of this material has, how you can make foam brick yourself.

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Why is it better to use polystyrene for decorative cladding?

This material has a lot of advantages that are well known to developers involved in additional wall insulation.

Foam decorative stone has the following advantages:

1. Low weight. In fact, the material itself is a foamed polystyrene, which is equipped with copolymers that give the product sufficient lightness and strength.
2. Low cost. At the moment, foam is the cheapest material that is used almost everywhere.
3. Energy efficiency. A foam sheet having a width of 14 cm has the same level of heat conservation as brickwork 20 cm wide.
4. High soundproofness.
5. You can decorate the material with any paints.
6. Confrontation steam, moisture.
7. Good adhesion with various wall panels. Polyfoam can be attached with glue and absolutely not worry that the lining will disappear.

There are a number of disadvantages of these products, which are related to the fact that foamed polystyrene is not environmentally friendly. That is why most developers refuse it, but in fact, its damage is greatly exaggerated, which has been repeatedly proved in practice. Modern foam contains a minimum of chemical fillers, which allows you to maintain the highest level of security.

Important! If you doubt very much, then here is an example for you: if in reality the polystyrene was so dangerous for health, it would certainly not be used to create a heat-insulating layer in panels and rigid packaging.

The only thing you have to put up with if you decide to make foam bricks with your own hands is a low level of vapor permeability. Therefore, it is recommended to decorate with such products only those rooms where high-quality ventilation is present, otherwise you can’t avoid the formation of condensate. In addition, remember that the product does not withstand mechanical shock, it just crumbles right away.

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How to make foam bricks yourself?

To get foam bricks with a decorative coating, it is necessary to prepare the form. In principle, it can be made of cardboard and wire mesh. It is enough to make boxes out of cardboard and wrap their sides with a net.

For work you will need such materials and tools:

• Cement.
• Quartz sand.
• Styrofoam Balls.
• Capacity for a batch.
• Water.
• Dye.
• Grid.
• Accessories for carving.

First, prepare the solution in a special container in the following order:

1. Fill the foam balls first.
2. Then pour water into the container.
3. Add cement to the mixture; carefully transfer all components.
4. Pour sand in small portions, gradually, until the mass becomes the necessary consistency.

Important! You should get such a composition so that it can easily form decorative bricks from it. It is advisable to use this mixture within one day, otherwise it will just harden and lose the necessary plasticity.

You will need to perform the following actions:

• Lay out the finished mixture.

Important! It is very important at the initial stage of solidification of the mixture to form the desired relief. The tool for carving will help in this.

• After the surface is processed, apply a thin layer of cement, water and sand to the edge of the future brick.
• Leave the unit to dry completely.
• Paint the product with dye. Only the selected color must be diluted with water and then applied in three layers.
• Leave the blank until the dye dries.
• Remove the finished block from the mold.

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How to make a wall of decorative brick with your own hands?

So, you already made foam bricks with your own hands according to the above instructions, then it's time to start the main stage - the construction of a decorative wall. Installation can be made on any surface. You can use cement mortar or special adhesive mixtures for this.

Decorate as follows:

1. Lay the tiles on the floor, fit them in size and shape to each other.
2. Get started with corner elements.
3. Then lay out the window and doorways, then - arrange the very first horizontal row.
4. After the installation is completed, treat all the bricks with a special solution to repel moisture.

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DIY decorative lining of the kitchen under a brick

Of course, you can buy ready-made polystyrene foam for a brick, but in this case its price can be unpredictable - it all depends on the materials used in the production. Therefore, it is more profitable when a brick wall is made of polystyrene foam with your own hands through elements made with your own hands. She just fits perfectly into the interior of the kitchen.

It is better to use a material with a fine-grained structure made of polyurethane for work, since it has a lot of advantages:

• Due to its structure, the workpieces will not crumble and do not lose shape.
• The material has a high level of fire safety.
• During operation, it does not emit harmful substances.
• It retains its structure during temperature fluctuations.

To independently produce such facing raw materials, you will need:

• Knife.
• Polyurethane foam.
• Soldering iron.
• Special glue.
• Lacquer.
• Paint.
• Primer.

Important! The produced rectangles can have different sizes, but in order to imitate a brick wall, it is better to use standard dimensions.

It is necessary to do everything clearly according to the instructions:

1. Cut the blanks of the desired size from the canvas.
2. Pre-apply the masonry pattern on the walls, while leaving small gaps between adjacent tiles of about 1-1.5 cm.
3. Fasten the tiles to the wall surface with glue.
4. After pasting the necessary area, do the surface finishing. Use a soldering iron to burn out irregularities, imitating a real brick wall.
5. When the desired texture is formed on the surface, cover the entire plane with putty to increase the strength of the structure.
6. As soon as the putty hardens, treat the surface with a primer, leave until completely dry.
7. You can also use polystyrene in the joints between the block and the brick. To do this, cut the narrow strips with a special tool so that their width matches the size of the seam. In the process of laying between workpieces, lay these slats, cut to the desired length with a knife.

In order for the wall to acquire a more natural configuration, it is necessary to additionally decorate it using this instruction:

1. Coat the entire surface with a base color diluted with a primer and leave to dry.
2. Each rectangle protruding above the plane, paint the main color, but do not touch the gaps.
3. Paint the color of the cement over the seams with a narrow brush. Let the wall stand like this for a week, then you can cover it with acrylic spray paint on top.
4. Wait another week, treat the surface with matt acrylic varnish.

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Stock footage

Now you have seen that it’s not at all necessary to spend a lot of money to decorate your home, it’s enough to have patience and certain knowledge. How to make foam bricks with your own hands - choose for yourself. Each of the above options is effective and good in its own way. As a result, you will get a beautiful house, decorated in accordance with modern fashion trends.