DIY faux brick cottage floor, for less than €25

Let me share how I painted my concrete floor and gave it a DIY faux brick effect. When I dreamed of my greenhouse, I wanted a pretty cottage floor. However, those beautiful brick floors come with a price tag. 

I had toyed with the idea of getting reclaimed brick slips and having a go at tiling my greenhouse floor. However, when I researched the price of the bricks, it was coming in at €500 just for bricks.

Not to mention the physical labour I would have to do ( and in an Irish heatwave!) One day, I would love to try tiling, but this was not the project. I had already gone over budget with my greenhouse project, so I wanted to reign in my spending. 

DIY faux brick floor for less than €25

On Instagram, a couple of you guys sent me gorgeous pictures of peoples greenhouse floors. Some of the greenhouse floors had tiles, and some were stencilled. 

Then entered the thought to try and find a brick stencil. Okay, now let me share a funny story, as I fell for the Amazon sizing. I ordered an £8 brick stencil off Amazon, and when it arrived, it was tiny! My bad, I should have measured. This brick stencil would be more suits for a fairy garden, lol.

So, then I stumbled across an old Martha Stewart video, and she shared how she made a brick stencil using sponges! Sponges, I thought, why didn’t I think of that?

How to use a sponge to paint a faux brick floor 

I picked up a decorators sponge in the local hardware shop, and I cut it in half. I ended up buying two, but I used the same half of the sponge for the entire floor. So, one sponge cut in half is plenty. 

I used red brick masonry paint for my brick colour. Also, I purchased a tester pot of a chocolate shade to mix with the red brick shade, as this gave it some dimension and contrast. 

A few weeks ago, I had painted my concrete base with two coats of Sandtex masonry paint. I had this paint leftover from a previous project and wanted to use up the tin to avoid wastage. 

Using a paint tray, I mixed up the colour. I then placed the brick into the paint and then laid it onto the concrete. You don’t need to be overly strict with the placement, especially if you want an aged effect. 

I went by eye and did it one brick at a time. Overall, it took me 4-5 hours over two days to paint on all the bricks ( I just downloaded an interesting audible, and time flew.) 

Do I need to seal the painted floor?

So, the short answer is yes, as it will help protect its wearing, but make sure to use a water-based exterior varnish and not oil-based. 

Oil-based exterior varnish will go yellow ( even the ones who say they won’t go yellow.) Water-based varnish is also easier to clean and generally has fewer VOC’s. 

In the hardware shops, look for yacht varnishes, but choose water-based ones. Also, choose a finish for you, as these varnishes will come in matt, satin and gloss finishes. 

I think I will do a matt varnish to go on top of mine. However, I am curious to see how long the masonry paint would wear when left on its own. 

How much did it cost to paint the faux brick floor?

So, I got some pocket change out of €25! 

• Woodies 2.5ltr red brick paint ( had plenty in this size) €15.99
• Woodies “Chocolate” masonry tester pot €3.29
• Decorator sponges €2.99

** Prices correct in-store as of 21/08/21

I already had some leftover Sandtex masonry paint, and I used this to paint the base cream before doing the brickwork, so you would have to factor in the price of some cream paint into your budget.

See how I created this on YouTube.

Click here to see the YouTube video where I share how I created this look and the first look around my greenhouse. 

Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing progress on my greenhouse, as I have some furniture to upcycle and makeover for this space. I am so excited to enjoy putting it together and making it my own. 

Overall, I want my greenhouse to be a multifunctional space. I want it to be a place for my seedlings, but also another workspace and entertaining space. Don’t worry, as I will keep you posted on its progress here and on my YouTube channel. 

Let me know if you have got hit with inspiration to create your very own faux brick floor. Comment below and share your thoughts. Thanks for reading, Chat soon, Catherine. 

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