Useful Tips for Faux Painting

Tap to Read ➤ Mayuri Kulkarni

Faux painting is the latest trend in painting, and it helps give a different look to your house. Here are the basic steps and some useful tips for faux painting.

'Faux' is a French word that means 'false'. Faux painting, a style of painting that uses colors and glazes to paint patterns that give an illusion of marble, granite, wood, brick, aged wood and various other surfaces. This kind of painting can be done anywhere in the house including the roof, floors and ceiling. It can provide a number of different finishes.

Materials required:

Paint trays Rubber gloves Drop cloth Glazes Acrylic paint Paint brush Ladder Note: You will require different materials for the different techniques.

Step 1

Select the surface you want to paint. Select a solid color that will blend properly with the furniture of the room. Then apply this solid color to the surface, which will act as the background color. Let the paint dry for at least 4 hours.

Step 2

The next step is to select an acrylic paint. Choose an appropriate color that complements the background color you applied earlier.

Step 3

Now, prepare the mixture of glaze and paint. The recommended amount of glaze in this mixture is 3 parts of glaze for 1 part of paint. Then, pour the mixture into a paint tray.

Step 4

There are a number of techniques for this type of painting. The different techniques are rag rolling, sponging, color streaking, marbleizing, and wood graining. Each of them uses different equipment.

Step 5

Once you decide the technique, practice the method on a piece of cardboard or wood.

Paint the cardboard with the background color you applied earlier and then start practicing. Apply the pattern on the boards in the way you wish to paint the wall. Continue to practice until you get the desired effect on the board and you are confident enough to start painting the surface.

Step 6

Now, you can start painting the walls with the technique you practiced on the cardboard. Here is a list of tips that will guide you through the painting process. Before you start, cover the surfaces that are not going to be painted. Use a drop cloth instead of plastic. For the background, use water-based latex paints of satin or eggshell for better results.

While applying the background color, make sure you cover the patches, if any. Always practice before you start painting the wall. Paint the surface after dividing it into sections.

Use gloves to aid the cleaning process. While mixing the glaze and the paint, start with a small amount of glaze.

Line the trays with plastic bags when you are mixing the glaze and paint. This will reduce the mess and you won't have to wash the trays. Lay the painting tools on plastic bags when not in use.

Faux painting is a great way to create a new and beautiful look. There is no limit to the patterns that can be achieved with the various techniques.