How to Build a Fake Brick Wall for a Background

Assemble the wood you'll need for the frame. The wood should be a straight, soft pine lumber, 1 inch thick and 2 inches wide. Cut each piece of lumber to fit the dimensions of the flat you're trying to build. Use a miter saw to cut the ends of the lumber in 45 degree angles so they will fit together at the corners. You'll need two additional pieces of lumber sized to fit inside the frame, as a brace.

Assemble the frame. Glue the corners of the frame together, then use clamps to hold the corners together as they dry. When the frame has been glued and the glue is dry, insert the two additional braces inside the frame, stretched from one side of the frame to the other. Glue the ends of the braces so that they stay inside the frame. Wait for the glue to dry.

Nail four large plywood triangles to the back of the frame, one in each corner. These triangles are called gussets, and their function is to help the wooden frame keep its shape. The top of the triangle should be attached to conform to the corner point, and each tip of the triangle should stretch out over the edge of the frame. Nail two large gussets to the ends of each brace. The top of the gussets should be nailed to the brace, and the outer corners should be nailed to the frame. The size of these triangles will depend on the size of your flat, but for a 9 foot high wall, 4 feet wide, plan to make the gussets about 12 inches at their base. The plywood should be half an inch thick.

Glue a sheet of wood veneer on the front of the frame. If you can't find a single sheet of veneer large enough, use two sheets and place the seam of the veneer over one of the braces in the frame to give the veneer extra support. Nail the veneer to the frame when the glue is dry.

Staple vinyl faux brick covering to the wall, using a staple gun. The better the quality of your vinyl covering, the more realistic the bricks will look. Insert the staples into the vinyl in the joints between the bricks.