Do-It-Yourself: Faux Finishing Sponging for Kitchen Cabinets

A sponge glaze on your kitchen cabinets is a quick way to introduce a new look to an old kitchen. The sponging process is among the easier of the standard faux techniques, and you can perfect it with a bit of practice. For the two-coat process, use either a light-colored base coat and a darker sponge glaze, or a dark base coat and a light sponge glaze. The closer the colors, the more subtle the finish.

Flat latex paint
2-inch brush
Sea sponges, one large, one smaller
Glazing compound
Tint
Mixing container
Mixing stick
Roller tray

Instructions

- 1
  Paint on your base coat. Brush it on, following the wood grain. For laminate cabinets, use vertical strokes.
- 2
  Pour the translucent glaze into a container. Add the tint, and mix. Test the color on a cabinet. Just a small dab will do. If the glaze looks too opaque, put in more glaze compound. Add tint for darker color.
- 3
  Pour the glaze into a paint tray.
- 4
  Wet a large sea sponge. Wring it out. Dip it into the glaze. Wipe it on the tray edge.
- 5
  Gently press the sponge onto a cabinet. Lift it off. Repeat in an adjacent spot.
- 6
  Continue until all cabinets are covered. Use different parts of the sponge for variegation. Use a smaller sponge in tight spots.

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