DIY Paint Glazing

Prepare project area by moving all items to the center of the room, or out of the room. Cover the ground with drop cloths. Take off all outlet covers, screws and nails from the wall. Place 2-inch painter's tape on all surfaces touching the wall to be color washed. Rub down the tape firmly with your thumb or plastic putty trowel.

Fill in any holes using joint compound if pictures will not be placed in the same area. Allow joint compound to dry, sand with area with fine grit sandpaper and wipe with a clean cloth to remove dust. Use a small paint brush and cover the plastered holes with primer.

Paint the wall the base coat color in a satin sheen. Roll on the paint evenly and ensure all areas are covered. Paint the edge of the wall with an angled paint brush. Satin sheen works best; however, eggshell and semigloss work as well. Do not attempt to glaze over a wall painted with a flat sheen. Allow the wall surface to dry.

Mix together one part paint to three parts clear glaze. Stir well. Apply the glaze starting in the top left or right corner of the wall using a mini roll. Roll on a 2-by-3-foot area. Do not apply in glaze in square or rectangle sections. Paint glaze onto wall in a shape similar to a puzzle piece or country on a map.

Manipulate each glaze section while still wet and before applying the next paint section. Dab the glaze with a damp sea sponge or dry terry towel. Pounce the wall with crumpled up tissue paper or plastic bags. Each tool used gives a slightly different look to the glazed wall. Continue to roll on glaze and manipulate as you work down the wall. Once you reach the bottom of the wall, work back up at the top and continue the glazing process down the wall again. Continue until the entire wall has been painted. Do not stop the process at any point until the entire wall has been finished. Stopping allows the glaze to begin to dry and leaves dark lines in your color wash.

Remove all tape by pulling upward slowly. Use a razor blade to cut any tape that begins to pull paint off the wall. Heat the tape with a blow dryer if tape is stuck well to the surface; the heat will loosen up the tape. Pick up all drop cloths and move furniture back into place. Be aware a glazed wall stays wet very long. Keep people and pets out of the room for about 24 hours to avoid accidentally bumping or touching the wall.