Sponge Painting: Faux Finishing a Room by Sponge Painting

Prepare your room by taping all trim and corners. A common mistake is not to tape corners and you end up with a Roschart type print. Tape the opposite wall and work one corner thoroughly. When the paint has dried on that wall tape that corner and proceed to the other wall. This will eliminate odd images and solid blobs of paint.

Mix your paint with the glaze and water at a ratio of 1/3 paint, 1/3 glaze (or flotrol) and 1/3 water. This mixture gives you the appropriate consistency and the right level of opacity. One color can be dramatic when sponging but more colors give greater depth. Similar colors will give you a nice subtle appearance and movement on the wall. Contrasting colors will give you a more dramatic result but can be harder to blend.

Once you have selected your colors, practice on a piece of tag board to see if you like the overall appearance. This will also help you get familiar with the technique. Begin in an inconspicuous part of the wall. If you walk in one doorway, try starting over that doorway. The longer you work the better your technique will be. You want the first wall your guests see to be your best. Pour a small amount of your mixed paint into the paint tray and lightly touch the paint with the sponge. Dab the sponge on the dry, flat part of the tray to take off large drops of paint and then gently touch the sponge to the wall. Lightly blot the wall and then turn your wrist and blot another spot. You’ll notice that the sponge does have a bit of a pattern and by twisting your wrist you avoid obviously repeating that pattern.

If you’re looking to cover most of the wall then apply paint evenly. To do this you must remember that every time you touch the sponge to the paint you’re getting more paint on the wall than when you’ve used it several times in a row. Space out your initial taps and then fill in the spaces between with the sponge before you reload again.

If you’re using more than one color, especially if you’re going for a subtle look, you may want to leave more open spaces. Beginning with your darkest color, create long ribbons of color and return to fill the spaces between with the lighter colors. Once you’ve completed a rather substantial area, stand back and check out your work. If you are adding more colors, keep this in mind and don’t over paint.

Corners should be handled the same way, but with the small sponge you have cut off. Keep it gentle and do not squish it into the corner as you will leave dark blobs which are very unattractive when dry. Always keep in mind that the paint will dry darker and the colors will change slightly.

If you are unhappy with the outcome, it is paint and can be repainted easily or more layers can be applied, subtly and gently to even out the appearance. Anyone can faux finish. Just don’t rush the process and use small amounts of paint, knowing you can add more if necessary.