Tips on Faux Finishes

Get the Room Ready

• Preparing the room properly for a faux finish, or any type of painting or wall work, should be completed before attempting any faux finish work. This includes clearing and cleaning the room of potential safety hazards. Washing the walls and conducting any repairs prior to applying a faux finish helps ensure the proper results. Applying a coat of primer on the wall may be necessary if you paint on wood, glossy or oil-based paints. This provides a smooth surface on which to begin the faux finishing work. Finally, taping around all sills, molding and doors completes the preparation.

Popular Faux Finishes

• The most-used faux finishing techniques are ragging or rag rolling (one technique uses a rag to "dab" on or off, "rolling" uses an actual paint roller covered with a textured rag), sponging and color washing. While each is unique and provides a different look and feel to the finish, all share a common theme. That is; each technique requires very little in addition to the paint to implement the look. Color washing is the only one of the three processes that needs special addition to the paint: a faux glaze that provides a worn, stucco look to the room. Though, some people choose to use a faux glaze when ragging or sponging as well.

Application Tips

• Practice whichever faux finish technique you want on cardboard prior to wall application. Color washing, for example, requires the completion of at least one base coat, then a light application of faux glaze after the base paint dries (24 hours for two coats). Practicing this in advance ensures the project is done right the first time. Using ragging as a faux finish is very similar to sponging, in that a rag or sponge is used to provide texture to a wall. There are two methods: sponging or ragging on, and sponging or ragging off. Sponging or ragging on is a method that uses the sponge or rags to apply the actual paint and faux glaze (should you choose to use one with this technique). Sponging and ragging off removes previously applied paint. Sponging or ragging off leaves a less mottled and more subtle look to the finish. As is the case with any home decor, personal tastes take precedence. Again, this is a good reason for practicing and testing the colors and processes in advance. Not only does this help the application process, it provides "samples" of the various techniques.

Other Faux Finish Methods and Tips

• Painting stripes and crackle painting are two more popular faux finish techniques. For many, the use of wall paper is declined not necessarily because of the look, but rather the difficulty in applying and removing it. A painted stripe faux finish provides much the same look and feel, without the headache. Some who choose this method use alternating paints (flat and glossy) of the same color, providing a subtle look. Crackle finishes have gained popularity with furnishings because of the worn, antique look that results from this technique.

Striping and Crackle Faux Finish Tips

• Applying a stripe faux finish begins by measuring the room. To avoid ending having to paint a partial stripe, measure the width of each wall (just the painted areas, subtract out moldings). Translating that total figure into inches, decide how wide stripe can, or should, be by dividing the desired stripe width by the total width. When deciding on stripe width; generally, the wider, the more casual. Crackling is a very straightforward process, as it involves painting between the two primary coats of paint with a crackle glaze. As with any multi-layered paint project, making certain the first coat is completely dry (12 to 24 hours) before applying the crackle glaze is essential.