Easy Fabric-Covered Brick Bookends in an Hour

Bookends are more than just a tool to keep your books neat; they also add artistic flair to your wall unit. By supporting selected books in any free space, bookends let you create small book “vignettes” and highlight interesting shapes and titles.
You can buy bookends, but quality heavy ones can be pricey. Besides, where’s the fun in that? By making your own, you’ll have an opportunity to create a custom look that perfectly fits with your furniture’s display area and room.
We love bricks for their heft, affordability and classic shape. Ordinary bricks are easy to source and offer the weight and stability necessary to function as great bookends. Placed vertically, they provide an attractive “echo” of a standard book. You can find bricks at home improvement stores for less than $1.
Bricks can be covered, painted or adorned with a variety of materials. Our favorite method of transforming bricks into fashionable bookends is covering them with fabric.

Create your own set of fabric-covered brick bookends following these simple steps:

Materials
2 bricks
Hot glue gun
Liquid Nails
Fabric
Flat work surface

Optional
Felt
Fabric sealant

Step 1: Prepare Your Bricks

• Select clean, concrete solid bricks that sit level and are unchipped. Do not use bricks with holes, also known as “building bricks”. Bricks with large holes will not be heavy enough and will not provide the smooth surface you’ll need for a clean look.
• Bricks that have been outdoors for a period of time may have moisture retained deep within their core. Put your bricks out in the sunlight for a day or two to make sure all the moisture is gone.

Step 2: Pick Your Fabric

• Select a sturdy fabric that will completely conceal the brick. You’ll also want to make sure the material is sturdy and won’t rip or wrinkle easily. Choose a fabric color and style that perfectly accents your wall unit and the room décor. Or wrap one brick in a contrasting fabric for an eclectic look.

• Now’s the time to recycle. Look in your closet for old clothing you could cut up and use, or even an old pillow case. Remember that extra upholstery fabric from a chair makeover? Use it!

• You’ll need a 20- by 20-inch piece of fabric for each brick.

Step 3: Wrap Your Bricks

Place the fabric face down on a flat surface then place your brick in the middle of the fabric. Wrap your brick just like you would a gift, but instead of using tape, use thin lines or dabs of Liquid Nails. On areas where the fabric overlaps, fold in the edges and attach fabric to fabric with a hot glue gun. Trim the fabric when possible; large bulges of fabric overlapping will affect the balance of your brick.
To increase the balance of your brick you may want to consider a felt base. Trim the fabric so that the bottom of the bookend stays uncovered. Cut a piece of felt to fit and glue in place.
Repeat these steps with your second brick.

Step 4: Protect and Place

As an optional step, spray your finished bookends with a fabric sealant. This will help keep them clean and make them easier to dust.
Place your bookend on your wall unit. For deep shelves or tall books consider making four bookends and placing two next to each other (or stacked horizontally) for additional support.