How to Apply Faux Finishes

You can apply faux finishes to your walls with simple sponging techniques. Apply a realistic brick finish with rectangular shaped cellulose sponges or cover your walls with the varied texture of sea sponges. Follow these step-by-step instructions to apply faux finishes to any wall in your home. Find sponges, glazes and paint colors at your local home improvement store.

Things You'll Need

• Base paint and two paint glazes
• Painting supplies
• Painter's tape
• Two brick-shaped cellulose sponges
• Knife
• Three 1-inch paint brushes
• Two glaze trays
• Three separate paint colors
• Three small paint trays
• Three sea sponges

Instructions

Faux Brick Finish

1. Select the base paint color for your walls. The base paint will show through as the mortar in your faux brick finish. Cream, gray or black make good color choices for the base color. Select the glaze colors you will use to apply the faux brick technique. Your colors should closely mimic real brick, with matching tones like blue and gray or terra cotta and red.

2. Tape off the ceilings and the trim on the wall where you plan to apply your faux finish with painter's tape. Roll on a coat of base paint and let it dry according to the manufacturer's instructions. Apply a second coat if needed and let it dry. Wait at least 24 hours before you begin to apply your faux brick finish.

3. Pour the glazes into separate paint trays. Apply the glazes to one side of the sponge with the 1-inch paint brushes. Brush on the glazes randomly so that the surface is covered with both colors.

4. Press the sponge uniformly against the top corner of your wall without pressing too hard. Pull it straight back without smearing any of the glaze. The porous texture of the sponge will simulate real bricks. Leave a ¼-inch space on the side and press the sponge again to make another brick. Finish the top row of bricks, replenishing the glaze on your sponge as needed, usually every three bricks or so. Remember to leave space for the faux mortar line between each faux brick.

5. Cut the second sponge in half. Apply glaze to one side as you did in step 3. Leave ¼-inch mortar space and press the half brick onto the edge of the wall directly beneath the first faux brick you applied. Leave a ¼-inch space and apply a full brick. Complete the row with full bricks until you reach the end, which will be a half brick. This will give the realistic look of a staggered brick wall.

6. Complete your wall with faux bricks, alternately beginning each row with a full or a half brick. Remove the painter's tape while the glaze is still wet.

Sponged Walls

1. Select three complimentary paint colors for your sponged wall. Tape off the ceilings and trim with painter's tape.

2. Pour one color of paint into one of the trays. Apply the paint to the sponge with a 1-inch paint brush. Your sponge should have a thin layer of paint; it should not be dripping with paint.

3. Lightly touch the sponge to the wall and remove it sharply without smearing the paint. Randomly press the sponge to the wall, leaving gaps of space with no paint. Let it dry.

4. Fill in the spaces by sponging on one of the remaining colors and let it dry. Complete the faux sponge finish by applying the third color in the gaps and layered between the other two colors.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice your sponging technique on cardboard before you faux finish your walls.

• If you press too firmly on the sponge, you will have solid fingertip marks within the sponged area.

References

• Faux Finishing Techniques

Resources

• Local Home Improvement Store