Faux Finish Painters Near Me
Let’s say you have a truly unique and unusual vision for your home’s interior but haven’t the vaguest idea of how to bring it to life. Who do you turn to? An expert in faux painting can replicate just about any look on your walls you can imagine whether you’re trying to create the appearance of stone blocks, wood, leather, antiqued or weathered surfaces, or even fabrics. With deft precision, they can create patterns like pinstripes and diamonds, or trompe l’oeil effects on the ceiling like clouds or stars.
If you can imagine it, it can be created! But it’s important to have the work done professionally or the entire project could go sideways. Great Guys Painting can help you find reliable experts in your area who can make your vision a reality. Get free quotes from licensed, insured painting contractors in just minutes by visiting Great Guys Painting today!
What is Faux Painting?
Faux (meaning “fake” in French) painting is a term that encompasses many different decorative painting techniques that are designed to resemble something else. Expert faux painters can bring a level of elegance and sophistication to any room, making walls look as if they’re crafted out of marble or stone, covered with elegant linen fabric, or stripped down to the exposed brick. If you like the look of wallpaper but don’t want to commit to hanging paper, you can create all kinds of designs with paint including stenciled patterns, stripes, or chevrons.
There are two main ways these effects are achieved. The first is a paint glazing technique in which textures are created with a semi-transparent mixture of paint and specialty glazes, applied with either a brush, rag, roller, or sponge. The second is when a layer of colored plaster is applied with a trowel, either as a flat finish or textured.
Faux & Decorative Painting Techniques
Nothing adds a designer touch to your home more than hand-crafted faux finishes. Stripes, textures, blue skies, even antique copper… can all be created with paint if you hire a craftsperson with the right expertise. Following are a variety of different types of popular faux finish techniques.
Sponging
Sponging creates a multi-dimensional, slightly aged look to any surface. First, painters will prime the wall and when that’s dried, paint it with the base color you prefer. Then, they’ll dampen a sea sponge and dip it into a mixture of paint and glaze (either the same color as the base for a subtle effect or different for more impact) and pat the mixture over the paint in a loose pattern.
Color Washing
Color washing is similar to sponging in that you begin by priming your wall and painting a basecoat. Then, a thin, translucent coat of glaze and paint in a complementary color is applied over the base with a sponge/rag or a brush in sweeping, circular strokes as if you were washing the wall. Once dried, this creates a gentle, time-worn finish that makes any room look warm and inviting.
Rag Rolling
If you’re looking for more of a marbled effect, rag rolling might be the way to go. In this technique, a base coat is applied and allowed to dry. Then glaze can either be rolled on—a crumpled rag is dipped into a glaze and then rolled across the wall—or rolled off when the glaze is applied with a roller and then patted with a rag to reveal the paint below.
Crackling
Crackling can be a fun way to create a “weathered” appearance on furniture, doors, or even picture frames. While the technique works on a variety of materials, it looks the most natural on wood items that might actually peel with age. First, the piece is sanded, primed, and painted. Then, a crackle medium is brushed on. Once that’s dry, the second color of paint in a flat finish is applied. It will begin to crack as it dries, creating the desired effect.
Strié
Applying real fabric to a wall looks stunning but can be prohibitively expensive. Another way to achieve a subtle striped fabric effect is via the painting technique known as strié (French for “scratched”). First, the wall is primed and painted with the base coat color. Then, a contrasting acrylic paint/glaze mixture is applied as a topcoat. A large paintbrush with stiff bristles is dragged from top to bottom creating lines across the entire wall.
Faux Granite and Marble
Granite and marble are both highly desirable materials for areas like countertops and floors. If you like the look but have a limited budget, you may want to add a faux stone finish. First, you’ll want to choose three colors that appear in stone naturally. The surface will be primed and then covered in a light base coat. The first color will be dabbed on with a sponge, followed by the second. The third will accent the effect with flecks of color and drawn-on veins. The final step will be a layer of glaze to add a sheen.
Lime Washing/White Washing
Whitewashing provides a clean, beachy look that works well in both modern and classic settings. The effect is created by mixing flat finish paint with water and brushing roughly onto the wall so the surface underneath shows through. This effect is finished with a coat of latex varnish to add shine and protection.
Wood Graining
Similar to strié, wood graining achieves a striated look by applying a thin coat of glaze over a base coat and dragging a tool called a “wood grain rocker” through the glaze. The wood effect is created through the color choices you make, the type of rocker you choose, and how it’s pulled across the surface.
Leathering
Love the look of worn leather? You can create it anywhere with paint, a piece of plastic, and a brush! First, painters will prime the surface and then paint with lighter color paint. Next, they’ll take a darker color, mix it with glaze (four parts glaze, one part color), and paint over the first coat. Then, they’ll crumple up the plastic and press it into the wet glaze. Then, the plastic is pulled off and the texture can be seen. Rough edges can be softened by blotting with a wet rag.
Elephant Hide
Elephant hide looks just like its name: elephant skin. The surface is first painted white. Then, a special glaze is applied, and crumpled, torn pieces of tissue paper are stuck to the glaze. Once it dries, a white sealer is applied over the tissue paper, allowing crumples and wrinkles to develop. Then, a colored glaze is applied over the surface to finish the effect.
Wall Stripes
Stripes add a time-honored, classically elegant look to any wall. You can have a painter create thin stripes, wide stripes, or a combination of both. They can run vertically or horizontally, on one accent wall or around an entire room. Painters will paint a base coat in the lighter of the colors and then measure off the stripes in pencil. They’ll mask off the sections with painter’s tape and carefully paint each section and then remove the tape.
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