Faux Finishing Tips & Techniques

Antiquing – a wash of soft-hued color, brushed over a surface to give the appearance of age or add a shadow of color. 

• Mix neutral glaze with colored glaze to the proportion desired for light, medium or dark tint.  Use one part neutral glaze and one part colored glaze for a medium tint.  For a light tint, use three parts neutral glaze and one part colored glaze.  Then, use this mixture to basecoat your surface.
• After basecoating the surface, moisten a cellulose sponge,  squeeze out excess water and dip one flat surface of the sponge in the glaze mixture.
• Starting at one edge, lay the sponge on the surface and pull it across the surface to create streaks.
• Using long, smooth strokes, continue until surface is covered.

Color Washing – a sheer layer of color applied to raw wood or over a painted surface.  If the surface has carvings or crevices, the color wash will collect in those areas and will add a dimensional look.

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  Mix neutral glaze and colored glaze using a one-to-one ratio or two-to-one ratio for a lighter shade.  If you want a more transparent wash, add one teaspoon of water to 406 oz. of glaze mix.

• Option 1 – dampen a sponge and squeeze out excess water.  Dip sponge into glaze mixture.  Pull and rub the sponge over the surface, smoothing the color as you go.
• Option 2 – Dip the tips of a French Brush into glaze mixture.  Brush the glaze over the surface using long, smooth strokes to even out the color.  Use a damp cloth to wipe the glaze build-up from the brush bristles.

Combing – involves applying a colored glaze over a base-painted surface and using a tool to remove some of the glaze, thus creating patterns.  Combing can serious or fun and carefree, depending on the technique used and the color combinations.

• Mix neutral glaze and disposable glaze in a disposable container. 
• Brush a coat of the glaze mixture over the surface using a foam brush, bristle brush or small paint roller.  You will want to make sure the surface has been basecoated, unless you want the natural color to show through.
• Work on one small area at a time so you can comb before the glaze dries.
• Comb the surface with long, smooth strokes.  Don’t stop and start – it will show in your design.
• Wipe the comb’s edges after each stroke to avoid glaze build-up.

Crackling – achieve this look with one or two paint colors.  Or, apply over raw wood to expose the wood through the cracks.

• Basecoat your surface with the color of your choice. 
• Apply two coats of Crackle Medium over the painted surface making sure that you always brush in the same direction and allow to dry.  Do not brush back and forth.
• When Crackle Medium is fully dry, brush on a layer of topcoat color.  Cracks will form.
• Do not brush over cracks. 

Distressing – create this look of age and wear by applying wax to some areas of a surface prior to painting.  Then, remove the wax to expose the under color.

• Using a candle, apply wax to the wood surface following the grain of the wood.  Concentrate the wax on areas where the wood would naturally wear away.  If you are using a basecoat, apply 1-3 coats and let dry.  Then, apply wax.
• Apply 1-3 coats of paint.  Allow each coat to dry before applying the next coat.  Do not sand.
• After paint is dry, scrape the surface with the tool of your choice, working in the direction of the wood grain to reveal the raw wood or basecoat color. 
• Sand the surface to smooth areas where paint has been removed.

Marbleizing

• Prepare your surface – Before basecoating your project surface, you may need to apply a primer, especially if you are marbleizing an old piece of furniture that already has a varnish or shine. 
• Wet sponge and squeeze out excess water.  Use your fingernails to tear out irregular pieces from the face of the sponge and tear off all straight edges from the four sides.  This creates the irregular marble texturing and avoids straight lines.
• Always marbleize the hard-to-reach areas first, and then go over them again with the full-size sponge while completing the larger area.
• Prepare palette – Shake paint.  Squeeze out first marbleizing color onto Styrofoam plate in a circular motion to create thin rings of paint.  Also create crisscrosses while doing this.  Repeat with second marbleizing color, squeezing new circles and crisscrosses on top of and around the first color. 
• Apply vein color in same manner onto previous colors already on palette.  Add Extender and Thickener to palette directly on top of the colors. Apply three full circles of Thickener and two full circles of Extender, using a similar application method. 
• Pick up palette and slightly tilt the mixture to the top, bottom and both sides of the plate.  Colors should roll gently together and mingle.
• Load sponge – gently place pre-torn side of sponge in the marbleizing mixture.  Do not press down.  Pick up the sponge and begin marbleizing in upper left corner of project.
• Apply marbleizing color to project – press the sponge lightly onto basecoated surface.  Sponging process is: 

• Lightly press down, pick up, change position, move to another spot and repeat. 

• Reload the sponge in marbleizing colors every three to five presses. 

• As needed, add more paint to palette following the previous steps. 

• Do not allow the palette or sponge to get a muddy, one-color look.  If this happens, wash sponge and clean plate. 

• Continue to sponge and marbleize the entire surface, overlapping previously sponged areas as needed. 

• Some basecoat color should show through the marbleizing. 

• Be sure to change the direction of the sponge with each press, so you don’t have a repeating pattern. 

• Allow to dry for two hours before applying veins.
• Veining – Using a new palette, apply one teaspoon of veining color.  On top of the veining color, apply an equal amount of Thickener and twice as much Extender. Roll this mixture together but do not mix.

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  atural marble veins always flow in the same general direction, but not exactly parallel to each other.  Apply large and small veins in a pattern and quantity to suit your project style and size. 
• Apply vein color to feather – Using 2 inches of the wider side of the top of the feather drag the feather tip through the veining color mixture.  Be sure you pick up enough Thickener and Extender.
• Apply vein color to project – begin applying veins in the upper left section of the project.  Place the tip of the feather on the surface and drag-pull-twist-quiver the tip and both sides of the feather in a diagonal direction across the surface.  The Extender and Thickener solution with the vein color will give some areas an opaque look and others a transparent look, which closely resembles real marble.  The more nervous and irregular your veins are, the more natural they will look.
• Finishing – Allow project to dry for 24 hours and finish with a high-gloss protective sealer.  The number of coats and type of sealer will depend on the project.  Contact your local paint or hardware dealer for recommendations on the appropriate sealer for your project.

Clean up - clean-up of all tools, supplies and work area should be done with soap and water while paints are wet. 

Mitts (Ragging, Chamois, Sponging, Texturing, Mopping) How To Use

• Prepare wall by painting with flat paint.  Mix neutral glaze and desired glaze color, according to package instructions.  Prepare mitt by dipping face of mitt in water, wring out and pat on a towel. 
• Pour a small amount of glaze mixture on a disposable plate. Insert your hand in the mitt as if putting on a glove.  Press face of mitt in the glaze mixture.  Blot mitt by pouncing on a scrap of cardboard.
• Pat wall randomly with the face of the mitt.  Make sure you overlap to achieve consistent coverage.  Change hand position frequently.  Re-load and rinse mitt as needed.
• For corners, place mitt at corner.  Use your free hand to place the face of the mitt into the corner.  Repeat until corner is complete.  For best results, tape off a small section of the adjacent wall at corner so you can press the face of the mitt firmly and closely without smearing the adjacent wall.  Let dry and remove tape.  Tape other side and repeat the process.
• Sealing glazed walls in not necessary.  After glaze has dried 24 to 48 hours, it is cured and durable enough to wipe with a damp cloth.  Glazed woodwork should be sealed to protect the surface. 

Stenciling

The method you use when stenciling can yield very different looks, making it possible to use the same stencil from room to room and still create unique looks in each.

• Circular – move your brush in clockwise and counterclockwise motions.  Once your design is colored in, continue to use the circular motion along the edges or any other areas where you want to add shading.
• Sweeping – lightly sweep your brush across the cut-out from edge to edge.  This will give your project directional flow and will enhance the hand-painted look.
• Pouncing – hold the brush perpendicular and pounce or dab onto the surface.  This can add dimension and texture.

Start your stencil in a hard-to see corner of the room.  You might choose to start behind a door on even in the closet.  Once you have reached the second or third repetition of the stencil, you should be comfortable with the techniques and colors.  Don’t stop experimenting.  After you have captured the look you want, try a different stenciling technique in another room.