Faux Paint a Wall

Faux painting involves applying different glazes to a wall in order to give it the look of a weathered, textured surface. Common faux paints include marble, brick, and wood. A common alternative to paint, faux paint allows one to vary the consistency of a wall's color and texture while giving the illusion of having a much more expensive material. There are three common techniques for faux painting. Color wash includes a glaze applied in overlapping brush strokes to produce a worn appearance. Sponging involves using a sponge to apply glaze for a more textured look. Ragging includes the use of a rag or towel to give the wall a milder, more variable style. The preparation for all of these methods is the same.

Steps

Choosing a Faux Painting Technique

  1. Decide whether you want a smoother or a more worn look.
    • Ragging generally gives the smoothest texture. Color wash gives the most worn look, while sponging gives a very textured appearance.
  2. Decide how many coats of paint you want.
    • The more paint you add to your surface, the more textured the surface will appear. A single coat leaves brush or rag marks on the wall, while a second coat will mostly cover these and provide a more even appearance.

Choosing Faux Paint and Materials

  1. Pick a color for your faux paint.
    • Look at paint samples in a store to see how paint will appear when applied. You can tweak the brightness of the paint by adding a light or darker base coat, and you can also mix two colors to create different tones.
  2. Purchase your faux paint and painting materials.
    • Buy the paint, base coat, and other materials--a brush, rag, or sponge, as well spackling paste for filling irregularities in the wall--at a paint or home supply store. Consult sales staff to make sure you are buying the right colors for your faux paint and base coat.

Preparation

  1. Apply painter's tape to all windows, doors, trim, the ceiling, and the floor.
  2. Wash the wall with a wet rag and soapy water.
  3. Fill any holes or cracks with spackling paste.
  4. Apply a semi-gloss base coat to the wall using a roller.
    • The base coat is necessary to protect the wall and for the faux paint gloss to appear how it should. Dip the roller in the base coat and apply it to the wall with long, even strokes from ceiling to floor.
  5. Let the base coat dry for 3 to 6 hours.
  6. Apply a second base coat on top of the first.
  7. Wait 24 hours.

Color Wash

  1. Dip a paint brush into the faux glaze so that the tips of the bristles are wet.
  2. Brush the glaze onto the wall in fast, diagonal strokes.
    • Your strokes should crisscross one another and look informal. Painting a series of X's is one good way to get the desired look. Allow sections of base coat to appear through the glaze; do not cover the entire wall.
  3. Rub the brush strokes gently with a dry rag to soften the appearance of bristle marks.
  4. Let the glaze dry for approximately 4 hours.
  5. Apply a second glaze coat, if desired.

Sponging

  1. Dip a sponge into water and ring it out thoroughly.
  2. Brush glaze onto the sponge using a paint brush.
  3. Apply glaze to the wall by pressing the sponge gently onto the wall in random patterns. Let the base coat show through in sections.
    • To create the proper effect, rotate the sponge before each application and do not apply glaze in a pattern. Press the sponge against the wall gently; squeezing or pushing hard will create odd spots of darker color.
  4. Continue until the wall is covered.
  5. Let the glaze dry for approximately 4 hours.
  6. Apply a second glaze coat, if desired.

Ragging

  1. Dip a rag in water and ring it out thoroughly.
  2. Dip the rag into glaze and blot it until no glaze is dripping off.
  3. Ball the rag in your fist.
  4. Apply glaze to the wall by gently pressing the rag against it in random patterns. Let the base coat show through in sections.
  5. Refold the rag after each application to produce random patterns.
  6. Roll the rag across the wall occasionally to produce a dimpled effect.
  7. Continue until the wall is covered.
  8. Let the glaze dry for approximately 4 hours.
  9. Apply a second glaze coat, if desired.

Tips

  • The effect you can create with ragging will vary greatly depending on how you fold the rag and whether you apply it when the rag is flat or by rolling it. Experiment with different techniques.
  • You can use two different glazes with color washing to produce a more complicated faux texture. Without waiting for the first coat to dry, apply a different glaze and then go over both with a rag to mesh the two colors together. Allow the base coat to appear in small sections.
  • Tweak your faux paint look by adjusting the color of your base coat. A clear coat will give a lighter look; darker coats will change the texture of the glaze.

Things You'll Need

  • Painter's tape
  • Spackling paste
  • Semi-gloss base coat
  • Faux glaze
  • Paint brush
  • Paint roller
  • Rag
  • Sponge

Related Articles

  • Choose Your Faux Painting Finish
  • Faux Paint
  • Create a Faux Finish With a Rag
  • Paint Faux Brick

Sources and Citations

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