How to choose the right faux finish for your walls

Choosing the right faux finish to faux paint on your walls is the first important step you need to do before you begin your faux painting project.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. There are a lot of different faux finishing techniques besides the well known sponging or ragging, but before you decide to start any project or buy any faux painting tools, there are a few important things that should be thought out clearly before you start faux painting.
   
   Ask yourself the following questions:
   
   1) Is the finish going to look too busy or patchy overall? Remember that when you are looking at a small sample, it is different than looking at it over large areas. That's why you should always practice on a large poster board first. You might want to paint a couple of boards and place them on the wall and then stand back to get the full effect before you proceed to faux paint the wall. Make sure the faux finish does not clash with the decor in your room. Sometimes it's best to go with a simple color washing faux finish that incorporates all the main colors in the room and blends nicely in the background.

2. 
   two can't fit with the ladder in this small room

   2) How high are your ceilings? If the technique you are going to use requires using a roller or brushing on more than one color, you should use a scaffold instead of dangerously carrying up multiple trays up a ladder. However, if you can't fit a scaffold in the area, then you will have no choice. Keep in mind that you will go up and down that ladder a lot of times. Be careful.

3. 
   faux painting tool doesn't fit around fixture

   3) If the method you are going to use requires using 2 persons, make sure that both of you will be able to fit in the working area, especially if you have to fit a ladder in there, too.
   
   4) In choosing your faux finish and the faux painting tools you are going to use, keep in mind that in small sections or tight areas, the tools might not fit. Therefore, it's best to keep those patterned faux finishes to walls that don't have too many fixtures on them.
   
   You don't want to spend a lot of money on faux painting tools and precious time learning a faux finishing technique, only to find out that you will not be able to achieve the finish on your walls due to insufficiently taking time to consider these important questions first. Through the years, I have eliminated offering certain faux finishes to clients depending upon these critical factors. I hope and pray that this article has made you think about some key questions that can save you a ton of heartache and frustration in planning your first or next faux painting project.

Tips & Warnings

• Look over the area you are going to faux paint and consider any patterns you have on furniture or accessories. Try playing with faux painting tool you are going to use to see if there are any areas on the wall that you can't fit it around, like around the toilet or toothbrush holder.

Resources

• Choosing the Faux Painting Finish for your walls
• Faux Finish Painting: Faux Tools, Supplies, Articles, Faux Painting Services and Murals