Do-It-Yourself Faux Finishing Techniques
Punch up any room with unique wall treatments that are quick, easy and inexpensive. Faux finishes have been sprucing up our living spaces almost as long as humans have been living indoors. Evidence of faux painting -- the practice of painting and finishing one surface to resemble another, like marble or sandstone -- dates as far back as the days of the ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians.

A good faux finish can transform even the most mundane room into a unique, dramatic-looking space relatively quickly, easily and inexpensively. Plus, if you make a mistake or don’t like the results, fixing it is as easy as repainting. What you can accomplish is only limited by your imagination. Here’s an overview of the techniques, tools and shortcuts you can use to create striking wall designs of your own.

What you’ll need
The recent surge in popularity of faux finishing has resulted in a glut of new glazes, brushes and gizmos coming onto the market, all promising to make the process easier than ever for the average do-it-yourselfer. But you really only need a few special tools outside of the usual interior painting standbys to create a good faux finish. In addition to brushes, rollers, rags and painter’s tape, some useful items include:

• Natural sea sponges. Most professional decorators prefer natural sea sponges to synthetic sponges because of their unique texture and durability. Buy the largest sizes available and cut them down into smaller pieces when working in tight spots and corners.

• Cheesecloth rags. A wise choice when working with glazes, cheesecloth’s mesh texture adds a distinctive textured pattern to a wall. Its high absorbency also makes it easier to apply runny glazes.

• Softening brushes. Soft, natural bristle brushes are useful for buffing out visible brushstrokes left behind from some techniques to help create smooth, natural-looking surfaces.

• Stippling brushes. These blocky, soft-bristled brushes can be used to create random textured effects. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes for different effects.

• Artists’ brushes. Fine artists’ brushes help create detailed effects such as marble-like veins. You can usually find a good set containing a number of different sizes in art stores and home-decorating centers.

Looks you can create
Since just about any surface or texture can be mimicked as a faux finish, the possibilities are endless. Some of the most popular methods and techniques include:

• Antiquing/distressing. An antiqued or distressed look (sometimes called “crackle painting”) lends a room or piece of furniture an esthetically pleasing aged feel. To create this effect, start by painting your surface with a flat paint and let it dry fully. Next, create a glaze by mixing 1 cup of neutral base with a quarter cup of paint, stirring in water until the mixture is runny, yet still sticks to your brush. A light base color requires a dark glaze, and vice versa. Apply the glaze, letting it collect in the grooves and cracks, but don’t let it dry completely. Then, wipe off the glaze with a damp cloth, removing as much or as little as you want. Finally, let the surface dry and apply a water-based sealant.

• Color washing. Color washing is perfect for creating a rustic, country-style look. In fact, with the right color choices it can fit well with just about any design esthetic. It’s also one of the easiest finishes to create. The effect is created by applying one or two different colored glazes over a base coat. First, apply your base coat and let it dry overnight. Next, brush on the glaze in all directions (as opposed to uniform up-and-down strokes) to create a textured effect. Wait for the first layer to dry before applying another glaze.

• Stippling and Ragging. These two similar techniques add depth and texture to a wall. Both are created by adding a layer of darker glaze (or multiple layers) to a surface painted with two coats of a lighter eggshell base. For a stippled effect, apply an even coat of glaze and then go over it with a dry stippling brush to create a rich, textured look. Ragging is accomplished by using a wadded-up cloth in place of the stippling brush, dabbing at the glaze and turning your hand as you go in order to avoid creating a repeating pattern. For an even more textured effect, apply a second layer of glaze and repeat.

• Marbling. To create a marbled effect, clean the surface thoroughly, prime it and apply two coats of eggshell white. Prepare four different glazes, one for each of the marble vein colors you want to create. Next, apply the marble veins, one color at a time, with a stippling brush. Before each glaze dries, swirl it with an artist’s brush to give the veins an irregular shape (for each successive color, use a smaller brush). When you’ve finished the veins, go over them with a large soft-bristled brush to eliminate any obvious brushstrokes. Let the surface dry overnight. Then, apply a coat of clear oil glaze with a rag and use a small artist’s brush to add definition. Go over the surface again with the soft-bristled brush while the glaze is still wet and let it dry. Finally, coat the surface with urethane. First-timers are encouraged to practice this technique often before trying it on the wall or surface they want to marbleize.

• Sponging. Sponging is another quick and easy technique that adds depth to a room. Start by painting the walls with your desired background color. Next, wet your sponge, wring it out and dip it into your secondary color. Make sure the paint is equally distributed throughout the sponge, then start gently tapping it on the wall. Working in three-foot-wide spaces at a time can help ensure an even application of paint. Twist your wrists to break up the uniformity of your pattern. More layers may be applied using different colors of paint.

• Strié: A popular choice for doors and wood panels, the strié effect is created by combing vertical lines through a colored glaze to reveal the base coat underneath. Start by applying your desired base coat. Then, create your glaze by mixing three parts paint with four parts glaze, adding water to thin the mixture if necessary. Next, apply the glaze with a roller in 3- or 4-inch strips, and then drag a wallpaper brush through the glaze from top to bottom. Continue until you’ve covered the entire wall.

For more faux finish ideas and detailed instructions on how to create them yourself, contact your local home-decorating center. Most offer classes, demonstrations and workshops with hands-on tutorials for a modest fee.

Exterior Painting
Exterior painting puts a fresh face on your house and makes it more appealing to potential purchasers Optimal weather conditions

Paint in fair, dry weather with temperatures between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Wait until the morning dew has evaporated and stop painting before evening dampness sets in. Don’t paint when it’s windy or dusty, particularly if you’re using a slow-drying, solvent-based paint.

Preparing the surface
Prepare the surface properly before you paint. Wood surfaces must be clean, dry and in good condition. Repair any damaged boards, trim or shingles and fix any structural damage.

Next:

• Remove dirt and all loose, peeling or blistering paint with a stiff wire brush or paint scraper.

• Remove severely damaged paint down to the bare wood.

• Wash greasy or very dirty wood with a mild detergent, hose it off and let the wood dry before painting.

• Apply a water repellent if moisture is causing paint damage, prime with an oil-based prime coat and cover with two coats of high-quality paint.

• Apply a clear waterproofing sealer to the ends of all wood boards to prevent water penetration and brush a prime coat on bare or new wood. Where heat and humidity cause wood to deteriorate quickly, treat boards with a wood preservative before sealing.

Interior Painting
With the right preparation, painting a room can be easy and fun. Here are a few steps to help make your room look perfect
Select your paint carefully!

Flat latex? Oil-based semi-gloss? When choosing a paint, there are two basic categories to choose from: the kind of paint you want (oil vs. latex), and the finish you want.

Oil vs. latex
Choosing between oil-based and latex paints often depends on the paint job at hand. Latex paint is easy to work with, dries quickly, cleans up with soap and water, and is forgiving of surface irregularities, but it is more sensitive to changing temperatures and less durable for high-traffic areas. Oil-based paint is harder to work with, has a stronger smell, takes longer to dry, and requires a solvent to clean spills, but it is better for sealing stains and in high-traffic areas. Oil-based paint is best used for trim or other specialized projects, while latex is recommended for larger surfaces.

Finish
Finish is determined by how much shine you want. Finishes range from flat or matte to high gloss. A flat paint helps to hide imperfections and calls less attention to color and walls, while a high gloss is easier to clean. If you’re looking for a compromise of shine and usability, satin and semi-gloss are both good choices: they are not too difficult to work with and hold up against frequent cleaning. Paint manufacturers name their finishes differently, but a well-informed salesperson at any home décor store can help you choose the right finish. Bring the dimensions of your room to make sure you buy enough paint.

A perfect match
When choosing colors, consider the impact of the shade with the size of the room – a sunny yellow may brighten up a small kitchen, but be overwhelming in a large living room. If bold colors catch your eye, consider painting one wall as an accent, with the rest of the room a more subdued complementary shade. Also find a complementary color for your trim. For ceilings, it’s best to choose white, but if you have chosen a pale neutral color for the walls – such as ivory, beige or a light pastel – you may consider painting the ceiling in the same shade. Most importantly, choose a color that you will want to live with!

Give your walls some attention
Preparation is key to a successful paint job. A few days before you paint, examine your walls carefully. Remove any nails or other hardware. Apply spackle to any cracks, holes or gouges. Use a low-grit sandpaper to smooth out rough spots on your wall. Sandpaper will also help to reduce the gloss of existing paint, making it easier to paint over. When your walls and trim are fully prepped, wash them thoroughly with Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) to remove grease, rinse and allow them to dry completely.

On your designated painting day, cover all surfaces you won’t be painting with drop cloths and tape off edges with a wide masking tape. Remove light switches, outlets and light fixtures. Cover fixtures that can’t be removed with plastic.

To prime or not to prime?
The decision to prime is based on the quality of the walls or previous paint job. If your walls are in great condition and are well painted, a simple cleaning and sanding to reduce gloss will suffice. If the existing paint is in poor condition, or you have uncoated walls made of a porous material such as wood or drywall, you should consider using a primer or sealer. Also use a primer if you are using a latex paint to paint over oil-based paint. If you are unsure whether the existing paint is oil-based, apply some nail-polish remover to a small surface – if it becomes shiny, the paint is oil-based. One final reason to prime is when you are painting over a bright color with a lighter shade. A primer will help reduce show-through.

Painting in the right order
To achieve the best results, begin with the edges. Use a 3”-4” brush to cut in along ceiling and wall edges, around windows, and in oddly shaped corners where a roller will not fit. Choose your roller according to the surface that you are painting: smooth walls need a smooth roller, while rougher surfaces need a thicker roller.

Paint the ceiling first, working in strips from one end of the room to the other. When painting walls, begin by applying light pressure in W formations. Follow this with horizontal stripes, applying more pressure to the roller, and finish up with careful stripes from floor to ceiling. Allow the first coat to dry completely before applying a second coat. When the paint is dry, remove tape carefully. Tape off trim, and paint it carefully and evenly. With latex paints, use a synthetic bristle brush for trim, and with oil-based paints, use a natural bristle brush.

Clean-up
Clean any spills with warm water (for latex) or paint thinner (for oil-based). Clean brushes and rollers thoroughly and store them for future use. Don’t forget to dispose of your paint cans properly – contact your city to find out about hazardous waste disposal programs in your area. Finally, remove all drop cloths, and enjoy your beautiful room!