Turn any surface into a unique faux-brick wall or floor with this decorative painting technique.

Tools and Materials
Paint roller
Neutral background paint [we used Potter's Wheel (MS152)]
Natural sea sponge
Acrylic paint in raw umber
19-by-10-inch piece of plywood
Kitchen sponges that are at least 7 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches (one sponge should make two "bricks")
Serrated kitchen knife
Craft glue
Chalk-line tool
Brick-colored paint [we used Brick Hearth (MS053)]
Martha Stewart Signature Color glazing medium

Faux Brick How-To
1. Using a roller, paint your desired surface a neutral color to create the background.

2. Mix a few drops of raw umber liquid acrylic paint into the base background paint to create a slightly darker color. Lightly sponge this color across the surface with a sea sponge to create texture. Allow to dry for at least one hour.

3. Make the brick stamp: Using a serrated kitchen knife, cut synthetic sponges to brick size, 7 1/2 by 2 1/4 inches. Arrange sponge "bricks" in desired brick pattern with 3/8-inch spaces between them. Glue sponges to plywood using craft glue.

4. Using a roller, paint the sponge stamp thoroughly with a brick-colored paint.

5. Place brick stamp on surface and press firmly. Repeat, lining up the pattern to the bricks you previously stamped. For best results, use a chalk-line tool to snap a level reference line before you begin.

6. Use a half "brick" sponge to fill in pattern at edges of surface.

7. Mix a few drops of raw umber liquid acrylic paint into the brick paint to create a slightly darker color. Mix this paint with glazing medium at a ratio of 1 to 1. Apply this mixture with a single "brick" sponge over bricks to create texture.