How to Age & Distress a Wall

Tape off all areas that are not going to be plastered. This may include window frames, baseboards and crown molding. Wipe down walls with a clean rag to remove any loose dirt, cobwebs or other impurities.

Mix color into your plaster if desired. Load a trowel with plaster and begin to apply it to the walls. Start at the top of one wall, holding the trowel at a 15- to 30-degree angle. Use short strokes, making an 'X' shape repeatedly. The original wall color will peek through in areas. This is just what you want and will help to build the color depth later. Once you have applied this first coat to the entire wall, let it dry. This may take four hours or more.

Begin with a clean trowel and apply another thin coat of plaster over the first one. This time, use a 60- to 90-degree angle on the trowel and a random selection of long and short strokes. Make sure the strokes overlap each other. This is also the time to cover any gaps that show the original wall. Occasionally, stand back and look for any sharp edge marks or ridges from the trowel. If you find any, simply smooth them down with a clean trowel edge. This coat of plaster needs to dry for at least 24 hours before proceeding to the next step.

Add another layer of plaster, if desired. This additional layer will bring in even more depth of color and age to your wall. If the wall is already at the color you want it to be, you can burnish it now. Do this by using a clean steel trowel, rubbing it in a circular motion over the plaster. The more you rub, the more polished the surface will be.

Wipe away plaster dust from the walls with a clean damp rag. Remove the painter's tape.