How to Faux Paint a Parchment Wall

Preparation

• 1

  Lay drop cloths or plastic sheeting below the way to be painted and remove any furniture from the area.

• 2

  Paint the wall with two coats of latex satin white. Begin with an angled brush in the corners and awkward areas, and finish with the roller. Allow the first coat to dry overnight and wait 24 hours after applying the second coat before continuing.

• 3

  Prepare two mixtures of faux finish in two separate mixing bowls or dishes. Each mixture should contain 1 part latex satin paint, 1 part untinted faux technique glaze and 1 part water. Stir each mixture well. When purchasing materials, select two different latex satin paints from the same paint swatch so that the tones will blend well. For best results, choose paints from the lighter end of the swatch.

Faux Parchment Painting

• 4

  Load one 2-inch paintbrush with one of the mixed faux finish glazes and paint a 1-foot-long wavy line in a corner of the wall. Load a second 2-inch paintbrush with the other glaze and paint a similar line about 6 inches from the first line.

• 5

  Wad the cheesecloth into a ball and rub the cheesecloth in a 3-foot square area on the wall where the lines are painted, working from the outside of the painted lines in. Apply the cheesecloth in loose figure-eight strokes, overlapping your strokes as you work. The strokes should be somewhat random.

• 6

  Repeat the process with the next 3-foot square, working continuously until the wall is covered so that each section can blend with the next while the paint is still wet. If the cheesecloth becomes clogged with paint while working, rinse it out with warm water and continue.