How to Do a Faux Wood Wall Treatment

Protect your floor with a drop cloth. Fill all holes with spackling compound and a putty knife. Lightly sand repairs after they have dried.

Tape off ceilings and trim with low-tack painters tape. Use a brush to apply primer to the edges of the wall. Paint out the rest of the wall with a roller. Allow primer to dry completely before applying the next coat of paint.

Select a shade of brown, depending on the desired shade of wood. Use a light tan for light woods, such as pine or birch. Select a light brown for dark woods, like mahogany or walnut. Paint the walls, cutting in with a brush and finishing with the roller. Apply two coats for complete coverage. Let paint cure overnight.

Use a tape measure, level and a pencil to measure and mark out walls into panels. Select panel size based on desired look of finished wall. If painting a fantasy wood treatment, panels are optional. Tape off alternating panels with low-tack tape.

Mix the glaze in a bucket. Add brown tint in a shade to match the grain of wood you have selected. Use raw umber and yellow ochre for cool brown woods like pine. Opt for burnt umber if the wood has a warm, reddish look. Add tint slowly and mix well, as most brands of tint are very concentrated. Continue to add tint until the glaze is medium brown, but not completely opaque.

Use a wide, flat brush to apply glaze in a straight strip, from the ceiling to the floor in a single brushstroke. Aim for a straight, steady application, but allow any subtle unevenness to mimic the natural wavy lines in wood grain. Drag a graining comb through the glazed strip in a continuous motion, starting at the top and pulling toward the floor. Wipe the comb off after each pass. Move from left to right, applying vertical lines of glaze and then graining with the comb before beginning the next strip on the panel. Continue until all of the alternating panels have been glazed. Remove the tape. Wipe off any areas of bleeding glaze with a damp rag. Allow glazed panels to completely dry overnight before taping off unglazed panels. Tightly cover the glaze bucket.

Tape off unglazed panels. Stir the glaze, adding a small amount of water if it seems too thick. Glaze the panels using the same process from the day before. Carefully remove the tape. Clean up any drips. Use a small artist's brush to fix any mistakes.