How Does Faux Paint Work?

Definition of Faux Paint

Faux stone
"Faux" is a French word for "fake" and faux painting is any decorative painting that tricks the viewer into believing a faux-painted wall is a different surface, like marble or leather. Faux techniques are often used to create a textured look to a wall, or to make a new wall look like sunwashed stucco or brick.

Red texture
Faux painting may be skillfully hand--painted textures or images, such as stone, brick or wood. They can also be applied using glazes mixed with paint. The glaze dilutes the color and extends its working time for the painter. Application tools can be just about anything imaginable: sponges, feathers, crumpled plastic bags, rags, combs, or specialized brushes.

Faux marble
While some faux painting creates an illusion of a different surface, often it is free flowing and textural. The colors used can be easily custom-blended to match other colors in the room, making any faux finish a unique work of art. A very plain room can be transformed with faux.

Study wall
Wallpaper can also create both illusionary and transformative effects. However, wallpaper is usually more expensive to purchase and more time consuming to install. Once it has outlived its usefulness, it can be a big job to remove. Faux paint is usually much less expensive and less time consuming, and can be painted over with no special preparation. Since the early 1990s, the art of faux painting has been resurrected and it is now more common than wallpaper.

Coffee table
Faux painting can also be used on furniture, architectural accents like fireplaces and columns, or even trim and cabinets. Woodgraining was very popular in the 19th century, and artisans could make plain painted woodwork look like oak or maple by using paint and glaze and woodgraining tools.

Learn to faux paint by taking advantage of workshops. Many home building centers and some paint stores hold free faux-painting seminars, and some community colleges may have classes. Kits, tools and instructional materials are available at many paint stores. Think beyond merely dabbing walls with a sea sponge (this is difficult to do well and often looks very amateurish when done in a haphazard manner.) There are many exotic-looking faux finishes, and with a little practice they are easy to do well.