How to Distress Plaster Walls

Prepare the room for painting by removing the furniture from the area. Mix 1 tablespoon of trisodium phosphate with 1 gallon of water. Dampen a cloth in the solution and gently wipe the walls to remove dirt from the plaster. Rinse the solution off the walls with a clean cloth dampened in cool water. Let the plaster walls dry.

Lay several drop cloths on the floor and add painter’s tape around trim and baseboards. The painter’s tape prevents the accidental application of paint to unwanted areas.

Apply the crackle medium to the clean wall with a paint roller or brush. Apply in even strokes that go in one direction only. Apply the crackle medium thickly for large cracks and thinly for smaller cracks. Wait one hour before continuing with the remaining steps.

Apply a light coat of top paint over the crackle medium. Choose a color that contrasts the original color of the wall. For example, if the original wall color is dark, choose a light color for the top coat. Apply the paint with a paint roller or brush, using even strokes that go in the opposite direction of the crackle medium.

Allow the plaster walls to dry thoroughly. As the paint dries, the walls will begin to have a cracked, distressed appearance.