Faux Painting Techniques

• Faux Painting Glaze
• Faux Painting Prep
• Interior Painting Ideas

Faux painting or faux finishing refers to a process using a painting glaze to simulate a natural material such as marble, granite or leather. This term also refers to painting with glaze to create a random, unique pattern such as with sponge painting on a wall.

Faux finishes are very easy to do and a few simple techniques can be used to create most of them. Mistakes are easy to correct and most finishes can be changed simply by painting over with a new base coat and starting again.

Begin with a Base Coat

Most faux finishes begin with the application of a base coat of paint. You can use latex or oil paint for this. The paint finish, i.e. flat or semi–gloss, etc., will usually be dictated by the type of faux finish you want to do.

Glazing Techniques

When the paint is dry, the painting glaze is applied in one or more coats. Glaze is a semi–transparent liquid that can be mixed with paint and colorants to blend different colors. One or more glaze coats can be applied depending on the faux technique being used. Because glaze is transparent, several coats can be applied, one over the other to vary the density of the finish.

Almost any surface can be painted with a faux finish. The painting glaze can be applied by dabbing it on with a sponge or it can be brushed or rolled and then manipulated using various instruments such as a rag, sponge, plastic wrap, craft paper, brush or feather.

Types of Faux Finishes

Below is a list of faux painting techniques and the basic process for each. Most of these include a link to a faux painting tutorial on this website. To prepare surface like plastic, glass, ceramic, metal, masonry, plaster or drywall for one of these faux finishes, see the faux prep page.

Antiquing is the process of using glaze to create an aged appearance on furniture and walls. A flat base coat is followed by a coat of glaze. While the glaze is still wet, a lint–free rag is used to wipe the excess glaze from the finish leaving hints of color in the crevices.

Color Washing involves using a rag to apply a watered-down glaze over the base coat. The strokes should be random arcs. Work a small area 3 foot by 3 foot area at a time. When the glaze has set slightly, drag a dry brush across it lightly to soften the rag marks in the glaze.

Crackled Paint finishes are used primarily on furniture to create an old cracked paint look. Liquid hide glue is applied over paint or a natural finish such as glazed brick. When dry, a paint coat is applied over the glue. As the paint dries, it begins to separate creating the cracked paint finish.

Frottage painting is a glazing technique that can be used to create an alligator skin or leather-like appearance on walls or household items. In addition, frottage painting techniques work well to create a unique wallpaper-like finish on walls. Crumbled plastic wrap or craft paper is used to create a pattern in the wet glaze.

Glaze Combing also called dragging, involves pulling a dry natural bristle brush or a rubber comb thru the wet glaze creating a subtle striping in the color. This is a good finish for walls where a wallpaper–like effect is desired or for decorating furniture.

Leather Finishes faux finishing involves the use of rolled rags, plastic wrap or wadded rags to roll or dab the wet glaze coat. This process leave creases in the finish creating a fine grain leather or suede look. Create inlay leather effects on furniture or wainscoting using this technique.

Marbling is a more complicated process than the effects previously mentioned. It involves the same basic steps but the manipulation of the glaze to create the "veins" found in real marble requires some skill that only comes from practice. A feather is used to drag the wet glaze to simulate veins.

Rag rolling involves using rags to leave a unique pattern in the glazing liquid. Usually only two coats are used for this process, the base coat and a second shade of the same color in glaze. The base coat can be darker or lighter than the glaze coat for different effects.

Sponge painting is used to create a random pattern on walls, usually as an alternative to wallpaper. This is a much easier way to have decorated walls than with wallpaper and it has the added advantage of being very easy to redecorate. A natural sea sponge is used for its random pattern which can be transferred to a wall surface. Different shades can be applied one over the other to create the impression of depth in the finish.

Stone faux finishes are created using a sea sponge to apply various shades of umber and black over a gray or white base coat. Several applications of glaze, one over the other combine to create a granite like finish.

Wood Graining is used to create a simulated wood finish on doors, walls, wainscoting or other surfaces using special graining tools. A usually dark, mahogany glaze is brushed on and a wood grain pattern is added by rocking the graining tool in the wet glaze.

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