How to Paint a Faux Fieldstone Wall

Paint your wall the color of the "cement" between the stones, using a paint roller and roller pan. Apply the paint for the stones over this paint. Using the same color for the "cement" and the base color of the stones will give the wall a pleasing appearance. Creamy beige and pale gray are good "cement" colors.

Outline unevenly shaped stones on the wall, using 3/4-inch painter's tape. Start at the bottom of the wall and work your way up. Tape along the bottom edge of some of the lower stones for a more natural effect. The middle of the tape must be in contact with the wall, but leave some of the edges loose so the space between the stones is varied. In some places, use two or three strips of tape to make wide gaps.

Pour some stone-colored paint on a paper plate. Lightly press a damp sea sponge in the paint and use it to fill in a few random stones. Wash your sponge and apply a second color of paint to a few more stones. Repeat with the the third color.

Mix two of the colors and paint another set of stones. Try to get several effects to mimic the variations in natural stone. Mix some colors completely and lightly swirl others together. Do not rinse your sponge between some of the color changes. Paint some stones with more than one color, evenly or in sections. Continue mixing colors and painting stones until the whole wall is painted. Allow the paint to dry for one hour.

Remove the tape carefully. Use a tiny brush to add a bit of the darker colors to the "cement" under the stones to create the effect of faint shadows. Use a light touch when making the shadows. This step is optional.