How to Do a Marble Paint Job

Wipe down the paint surface with a clean sponge and warm water. Scrub away any stubborn dirt or grease with all-purpose cleaners. Dry with a clean towel. Place protective drops on the floor. Tape off any adjoining surface areas with painter's tape. Smooth the tape down with an old credit card to ensure that no paint leaks occur.

Use a small mini foam roller and apply the marble base coat -- satin latex paint. Remember that the base coat will be the primary color of the faux marble. Apply the paint evenly and ensure that the finished base coat covers the entire surface. For any areas the mini roller cannot reach, use an angled paintbrush or small artisan's brush.

Mix together one part clear glaze and one part latex paint; the paint should be two shades darker than the base coat color. Stir the glaze and paint together until a solid color forms. Randomly roll on the glaze onto the surface with the small roller. While still wet, manipulate the glaze using a sea sponge. Dab the sponge into the wet glaze to move the product around. The glaze will give a cloudy, watercolorlike look to the solid base coat.

Choose the color of your marble veins. Veins may be white, beige or even dark chocolate brown. Add water to the paint until it is thin and runny. Dip a large artist's feather tip into the paint. Use the tip of the feather to paint lines onto the surface to mimic a marble vein. While still wet, dab the vein to soften and feather the edges with a damp sea sponge. For additional softness, brush the vein with a badger brush.

Add additional marble veins to the surface using different colors. Paint the veins going vertically and only slightly horizontally. Do not wrap the vein around a column, similar to a candy cane. The paint finish will not look very realistic. Allow to dry.

Roll on clear coat of water-based polyurethane for additional protection. Let dry for 24 hours. Remember that the sheen of the final clear coat determines the finished look of the project. Sheens vary from high gloss to flat.