How to Create a Faux Stone Finish Tabletop

Choosing Colors

• The colors you choose for your faux stone tabletop depend on the type of rock you're trying to mimic and the ultimate effect you'd like. A creamy marble with greyish veins, for example, gives an elegant and formal touch, while a finish painted to resemble beige sandstone exudes a rustic style. The base color you choose to cover the entire tabletop with may several shades lighter than the glaze paints, or a couple darker for a more dramatic effect, especially when emulating gray or brown stone. Choose two to four more colors from the same paint strip to avoid clashing. The base color should typically be a satin finish, and the other colors should be glazes, which provide a subtle, translucent result.

Supplies

• You need a variety of supplies for creating a faux stone finish, depending on the effect you'd like. Paint brushes in a variety of sizes, clean rags, sponges and cheesecloth are all useful. Brushes may be used for all-over color or marble veining, while cheesecloth works well for a background wash on marble or granite looks. A sponge works well for creating texture on sandstone. Water is essential when working with glaze paints, as it's required for proper mixing.

Techniques

• The specific technique you employ while creating your faux stone tabletop varies. Marbleizing requires dragging a dry brush on edge across the surface in various directions, twisting and turning to create a vein with varied width that connects to smaller branches. Most types of stone finishes require rag rolling or wiping after the base coat has dried, gently blotting, rocking or smearing color in random swirling patterns to create a background with a hint of varying depth and color. Sponging is similar but creates blotchier, more dramatic texture.

Additional Tips

• While rag rolling or sponging your table, work in small areas so you can blend drying glaze quickly and you can assess the finished results and make any adjustments before moving on. Gently wiping down washes with a clean, damp cheesecloth rag helps them appear more natural, as does sweeping a dry brush over freshly painted marble veins. Always let the primer dry completely before applying glaze, unless you want to mix the base into the secondary color slightly. Let the entire tabletop dry before applying a clear sealant for protection.