Faux painting is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of decorative paint techniques. It can be used to create textures and replicate the look of surfaces like marble or wood.

Here are some of the easiest faux painting techniques and the essential items you need to achieve them.

Sponging is one of the easiest ways to give a wall depth and texture; it doesn’t require you to have a precise hand or own expensive tools.

With this technique, you can easily transform the look of your walls and inject excitement into your space.

1. Paint the walls with the color of your choice.

2. Mix the paint with glaze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

3. Soak the sponge in water and squeeze out the excess moisture.

4. Dip the sponge in the mixture and blot it on a piece of cardboard or plastic plate to remove excess glaze.

5. Start from the corners and press the sponge lightly onto the wall.

6. Repeat this action until you’re satisfied with the outcome.

Before you try this technique out, here are some helpful tips for success:

• Always keep the wall and sponge damp.

• Avoid choosing a contrasting base coat and glaze color. This can result in a splotchy look.

• Step away occasionally after completing each section. This allows you to review your work and correct parts that you aren’t happy with.

The faux granite painting technique is designed to mimic the look of granite.

This technique is mostly used to create faux granite countertops. It’s perfect for those who want such countertops but can’t afford to splurge on one.

1. Cover the surface you’ll be painting on with primer and wait for it to dry.

2. Apply the selected paint colors onto the surface.

3. Using a sponge or a bunched-up rag, dab onto the surface to create random patterns.

4. Cover the surface with glaze once it’s dry and you’re satisfied with the result.

5. Give the surface a light sanding and finish it off with a topcoat.

If you’re not confident in executing this technique from scratch, you can choose to get a faux granite paint kit instead.

These kits are designed to simplify the painting process, making it almost fool proof.

Rag rolling, also known as rag painting, is a technique that produces a textured surface with distinct lines.

You can either purchase a specialized rag roller to carry this technique out or do it by hand. However, rollers can’t reach corners. Therefore, if you choose to use one, you’ll probably still have to do parts of the wall by hand.

1. Apply the base coat of paint and wait for it to dry.

2. Starting from the center, roll the rag or roller across the wall in random directions. If you’re doing it by hand, dampen and bunch the rag before dipping it into the paint.

3. Repeat until you’re satisfied with the outcome.

Wood is a popular choice of furniture material among homeowners. However, purchasing actual wood furniture can cause a deep dent in your pocket.

For the budget-conscious, this technique is your best alternative. The right tool, such as a wood graining rocker, can allow you to easily make any surface resemble wood.

1. Prepare the surface for painting by covering surrounding areas with painters tape.

2. Sand the surface with sandpaper to keep it smooth.

3. Clean the area and remove any dust caused by Step 2.

4. Paint the base coat with the color of choice using long horizontal strokes.

5. Create a glaze mixture by combining paint and glaze. Use this mixture to paint over the base coat and run a wood graining tool over it while still wet.

6. Repeat the process until the entire surface is covered.

7. Remove the painters tape and apply a coat of wax onto the surface for added protection.

The color washing paint technique involves covering a surface with a tinted glaze to create a beautiful finish. It’s a relatively easy way to elevate the entire look of your home.

1. Paint the surface with your preferred color.

2. Combine the paint and glaze and stir until well-mixed.

3. Paint it over the base coat using a cross-hatching technique, creating large X-shaped strokes.

4. Repeat the steps until the entire surface is covered.

Tip!
Paint in diagonal sections when applying the glaze mixture. This helps to minimize the appearance of vertical lines.

Marble is an extremely popular material in the world of interior design and among homeowners. However, the downside to using it is its high cost.

Luckily for you, with this faux painting technique, the look of marble can be replicated at a fraction of its cost.

1. Dip a large brush into the first paint color to create diagonal lines across the wall. Repeat this step with the other colors that you’ve chosen.

2. Create the same diagonal lines in Step 1 with a wool pad and blend the lines.

3. Dip a small paintbrush into the mixture consisting of 1-part white paint with 3-parts water.

4. To create the vein lines, drag the brush across the diagonal lines of the wall while turning and wiggling it.

5. Use a soft, dry, and clean brush to gently dab over the lines to soften them.

6. When you’re happy with the outcome, stop and leave the paint to dry.

The strie painting technique that involves dragging a paint brush across the wall to create soft streaks of color. It’s one of the most popular faux painting techniques for walls and is also used when creating a faux wood finish.

1. Combine the paint and glaze according to the glaze’s manufacturer’s instructions.

2. Apply the mixture onto the wall.

3. As soon as the paint goes on, drag a dry paintbrush vertically along the painted surface.

4. Continue until you’re done and satisfied with the results.

Aside from basic equipment like paint and paint stirrers, here are some other important tools that you’ll need for faux painting.

Certain brushes are designed to help you achieve a specific faux finish. Wide brushes, for example, are used in the strie painting technique to produce unique strokes.

As a general guide, you should take the technique and type of paint you’re using into consideration when selecting a paint brush.

With specialized rollers, you can create your desired faux finish easily.

Some examples of these rollers include

• Check rollers – used to produce a denim-like finish

• Wood grain rollers – used to create a faux wood grain on any surface

• Sponge rollers – have an irregular pattern that can be used to sponge paint on large areas quickly

Painters tape is used to cover areas that you don’t want to get paint on. When doing faux painting, tape can help you to achieve clean lines, making the outcome much neater.

Metal and plastic combs are tools that can be used to create an illusion of wood grain. These tools are dragged through wet paint to produce unique color variations.

Rags are used in the rag rolling faux painting technique. With this technique, you can also consider using materials such as aluminium foil or crumpled plastic bags to achieve a similar effect.

Sea sponges are preferred when using the sponging technique because they create the most organic effect. Kitchen-type sponges, on the other hand, are great for creating faux brick patterns.

While faux painting may require some creativity and patience, its possibilities are endless, and the results are rewarding.

For those who prefer having someone to help you with your paint job, contact us to learn how we can help!