How to Use Plaster for Faux Finishes

Move all furniture and accessories away from the walls to be plastered. Place plastic on the floor and then cover with drop cloths. Tape off the perimeter of the wall to be plastered. Place tape on the adjoining walls, floorboards and ceiling. Remove any nails or picture hangers.

Dab a sponge into two to three different colors of paint, and dab the sponge onto the wall. The sponge paint will be the color of the grout between the brick or stone. Remember that 98 percent of the sponge painting will be covered—this part does not have to look pretty. Allow to dry 24 hours. Skip the step if a solid plaster wall is created (not made to look like brick or stone).

Use ¼-inch painter’s tape to tape off a stone pattern over the sponge painted area. Look at a variety of architecture and gardening books for different stone and brick patterns. Know that taping of the stone or brick can take several hours or days, depending on the complexity. Utilize a sharp razor knife to cut the tape evenly. Hold a level to the tape to ensure the lines are made level.

Cover the area with a very thin layer of joint compound plaster, about ¼ inch thick. Use a trowel to wipe the plaster onto the wall to create a pattern—the tape will be covered with the plaster. Do not plaster in sections; visually ignore the tape markings and plaster the entire wall at once. Alternatively, roll the plaster onto the wall with a small roller, and then lightly smooth with a trowel for a different textured effect. Remove and peel off all tape while the plaster is still wet. This will open up the \"grout lines\" between the faux stones. Use a small needle to locate the tape if it is not immediately visible. Allow the plaster to dry.

Paint the faux stone with clear polyurethane. Use a thick nap roller to get into all the pits and grooves. Make sure to use a brush to paint around the perimeter of the wall. Allow to dry.

Dry sand the area with a sanding sponge using a medium to rough grit. Wipe the area with a damp cloth to remove dust. Mix latex paint and glaze in a 1:4 ratio. The glaze should be two shades darker than the desired color of the brick—the glaze will dilute the paint and make it translucent. Use two to three different glaze mixtures for a multi-toned look, or simple choose one color for a more even-toned coloration.

Dab a sponge into the different colors of glaze. Bounce the sponge onto the plaster to create a mottled look. Add more paint if the glaze is too translucent, or add more glaze if the paint is too dark. Fully paint each wall surface, without stopping, to avoid glaze drying in patches. Allow to dry 24 hours—glaze stays wet much longer than most paint products. Ensure no one touches the wall while drying. Glaze is very difficult to touch up because it is not a flat, solid color.

Remove all remaining tape—use a sharp razor blade if the tape is stuck to the plaster. Remove all drop cloths and plastic. Clean all paint tools in warm water.