How to: Block Wall Faux Finish

Protect areas adjacent to your painting surface as well as wall fixtures, wall trim and window frames, by covering them with painter's tape. Provide more protection to floors, furniture and cabinets by covering them with plastic sheeting.

Prepare the painting surface by filling holes and covering exposed nails with wall putty. Scoop putty onto a putty knife and apply it to fill the holes, then scrape the knife over the surface to remove any excess putty. Allow approximately 24 hours for the putty to dry thoroughly.

Prime the wall surface for painting by applying two to three coats of paint primer with a paint roller. The layer of primer covers the old paint and helps new layers of paint adhere. Allow one to two days for the primer to dry.

Paint the entire surface with a base coat of paint in the color you choose to make the lines of mortar between each row of block and between the ends of each individual block. The mortar used in real block walls is usually tan or gray so choose a shade of either of those colors. Allow approximately one day for the coat of paint to dry completely.

Draw level, horizontal lines across the painted surface with a chalk line and level. Start at the top of the painting surface and move down. Space each line evenly to create blocks in uniform heights and ensure the lines are level to prevent your faux block wall from looking obviously fake.

Apply strips of masking tape over the chalk lines set down in the previous step. Tear the straight edges of the tape to make the mortar lines between the blocks thinner and more realistic in appearance.

Apply strips of painter's tape vertically between the horizontal strips of tape. Stagger and equally space the vertical strips of paint to create a realistic block pattern. Remember to tear the edges of the tape to create authentic mortar lines.

Add drywall over the painting surface to create textures that resemble real block. To do this, scoop drywall onto the surface with a drywall knife and use a sponge to create a bumpy and porous surface texture, like that on real block. Allow two to three days for the drywall to dry thoroughly.

Paint over the drywall, applying a shade of paint darker or lighter than the base color used to create the mortar lines. Choose one or more colors to mimic real block. Allow the paint to dry overnight or as necessary to dry completely.

Apply a second coat of paint, in a slightly darker or lighter color than the color applied in the previous step, to make realistic blocks. Apply this paint color with a sponge to add texture. Allow approximately one day for the layers of paint to dry.

Remove the painter's tape to expose the mortar lines on the faux block finish. You may need to wipe over the mortar lines with a damp rag to remove the chalk lines created in Step 5.