How to Paint Woodwork With a Rag

Clean the woodwork to be painted with warm water and dish soap. Be sure to rinse well and allow to dry completely before proceeding. This is especially important of trim work, as it is typically a high-traffic area that gets touched a lot as people pass.

Prime the woodwork. This is particularly important if your chosen paint color is lighter than the existing woodwork. In addition to keeping your colors true, priming also dries with a slightly rough texture, giving your paint something to adhere to.

Paint on your base color. Choose satin paint for best results when rag-painting. Apply as many coats as it takes for you to be happy with the results, allowing full recommended (check your paint can) drying time between each. Two coats is usually plenty to even out color.

Tape off any areas you do not want glazed after the base coat has dried. Low-tack tape can be removed without damaging the fresh paint.

Select your rag according to your desired texture. Decide if you want to roll on the paint or proceed by hand. Both have their advantages. Rolling is quicker and gives a more uniform faux finish; by hand requires some practice and finesse. Choose from cotton rags, which soak up more paint and must be used cautiously; chamois, which soak up less paint, giving a less dramatic glaze; and cheesecloth, which provides a very fine speckling finish. Try out your rag on a test surface before tackling the wall, both to fine-tune your technique and to be certain you will be happy with the results.

Add an extender to your glaze to slow its rapid drying time. This gives you a little extra time to work, though not too much. Work quickly, without "double-dabbing," as multiple coats of the glaze will darken it and change the finished look.

Fold your cloth into a square, gather the corners and push out the center with your finger to form a rosette. Or apply your rag roller onto the paint roller. The roller is used in the same manner as a regular paint roller. Working by hand is easier on narrow areas of woodwork, like trim.

Dip your rosette into the glaze and begin dabbing it onto the wall in a random triangular pattern, much like eyes and a mouth. Keep the amount of glaze on your rag consistent. Work quickly, leaving some space between dabs. If rolling, load the roller and apply in long smooth strokes without back-tracking or scrubbing. Do not roll over the same spot twice or you will end up with an irregular finish.

Re-fold your rag as needed, and change rags before it becomes saturated with glaze.

Pick up paint off dabbed areas with a new rag to soften and fill in white spaces. Remove the painter's tape and use the same method to soften the edges.