How to Paint Effects

Add paint effects to your walls to freshen up your home's interior.

You can give your interior a new lease on life by using paint effects to decorate walls. Essentially, you use specific painting tools to create a pattern on the wall. This is a cost-effective way of improving your home without the need for expert advice or equipment. Plus, there are many different styles you can use to achieve alternative looks. For example, stippling, rag rolling, color washing or sponging are simple techniques that can be applied.

Things You'll Need

• Paint
• Primer
• Drop cloths or old sheets

Instructions

1. Gather together all your necessary tools for creating paint effects on your walls. Make sure you have drop cloths, old rags, primer, high-quality paint and the relevant paint effect equipment before you begin.

2. Prepare the walls and room for decoration. Some techniques, such as stippling, result in paint spraying or dropping onto furniture. Begin by covering the floor and furniture with drop cloths, newspaper or old sheets to protect them.

3. Remove old wallpaper using a steamer, fill in holes or crevices using silicone or scrub off flaking paint using a wire brush. This is the first step to preparing the wall surface.

4. Coat the walls in a primer before painting. Use a high-quality primer to ensure you obtain a smooth paint finish, and that the paint binds to the surface properly.

5. Decide what type of paint effect you want to do on the wall. Stippling is a time-consuming effect, but looks professional and stylish on a wall, whereas sponging is an easier technique for large areas. Color washing is useful as it can be used on wood or furniture, plus it is easy to achieve for a beginner.

6. Begin painting the paint effect onto the wall. For example, if you are doing a color washing, stamping and blocking or adding a stencil, the first step is to apply an even coat of emulsion paint on the walls, and then leave it to dry overnight.

7. Get the correct shade of paint ready. Effects require different colors blended together, darker or lighter shades of the base color mixed or completely different colors added to the base color. Prepare them in pots before you begin, as you will need to work quickly with the paint to prevent it from drying out before you finish applying the paint effect.

8. Add a stencil. Spray stencil mount onto the reverse side of the stencil, then stick it to the wall in the appropriate position. Dip your brush in the paint, then hold the brush at a right angle on top of the stencil. Dab the brush softly across the stencil to apply the effect. Peel off the stencil, and leave the pattern to dry.

9. Rag roll the wall. Mix one-third emulsion paint to two-thirds glaze, and paint in a 3-foot square section of the wall using a brush. Roll up an old rag in an sausage shape, and then roll it across the area to create a pattern. Repeat the process until the area is covered.

10. Sponge the wall for a stippled effect. Prepare a 3-foot square section of paint as described in step 9. Then instead of using a rag, use a sponge to apply paint to the wall. Lightly press the sponge across the area of paint, and lift it up quickly to get a spongy pattern.

11. Apply stamps or blocks to the wall. After you have completed step 7, use a stamp to add a pattern such as mosaics to the area. Get the stamp and add paint to it using a brush. Hold the stamp, and then press it onto the wall. Apply pressure evenly to distribute the paint smoothly. Repeat this process until the desired area is covered in the pattern.

References

• Paint Quality: Home Page
• Paint Quality: Preparation is Key