Home Improvement Trend That Won't Break The Bank

Faux painting techniques are an economical and innovative way to transform any surface and can complement any decorating style. Dull concrete floors, both indoors and out, can be brought dramatically to life with a latex paint such as DRYLOK(R) Latex Concrete Floor Paint.

Planning and Preparation

Before choosing a design, look carefully at your surface and space. Some designs are useful for disguising flaws in a floor. For other designs you may need to patch and smooth flawed surfaces first.

You will also need to think about the traffic in the area you are painting. Is it worth doing an elaborate, time-consuming pattern in a high traffic area? Large, bold patterns may be out of scale for a small room. Equally, small, detailed patterns may get lost in large spaces.

Inspirations for Faux Painted Floors

Brick and Stone

Brick and stone finishes can add texture and/or color and can be effective indoors and outdoors.

Tiles and Mosaics

Faux terra-cotta tiles are a versatile option for porches, patios and dining areas. The earthy appearance creates a warm, earthy feel and goes well with the rustic Tuscan look and matches many decors.

Patterned and Textured Finishes

For a finish that isn't too busy, you can use paint to create subtle visual texture. With pattern, your choice is endless. Covering an entire surface is one option. Alternatively, you could paint a faux rug, perhaps with patterns inspired by oriental carpets.

The most important thing to remember is to follow the proper preparation and patching procedures from the product label. If you are using a pressure washer to clean the surface, do not use on a pressure setting above 1750 psi to avoid damaging the concrete. Remember concrete acts like a sponge. Pressure washing and cleaning in general may trap residual moisture in the concrete. To check for trapped moisture, tape a 12" x 12" piece of 3 mil plastic or aluminum foil tightly on all four edges to the surface. Remove it after 24 hours. If the floor side of the plastic or foil is damp, allow additional drying and then repeat the test. It is very important not to have trapped moisture in the concrete; it is the number one reason why epoxy and latex concrete floor paints fail.

Protecting the Pattern

A clear protective coat, such as DRYLOK(R) WetLook Sealer is the perfect finish to protect the design from scraping of patio furniture, grease, weathering and washings. Remember to use a product that is made to be a clear protective coat, not a penetrating sealer. A penetrating sealer is designed to enter the pores of the surface and settle into the masonry. It will not penetrate the floor paint. The clear sealer is a protective measure that should be repeated every two to four years depending on the use and exposure of the surface.

Bold or subtle, bright or neutral, faux painting techniques can give your floor an expensive-looking makeover that won't break the bank.

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Interior Painting with Faux Finishes

You might have thought that you are limited to a couple of choices when it comes to interior painting with faux finishes. Probably you are wrong if you think so. Many ways are available to decorate a wall with the use of nothing more than a few tools and some paint. Moreover, you will pay far less with faux painting comparing to decorating the space using wallpaper. You are not required to possess a lot of experience or be too creative to create a great looking finished space. Some of the more common faux finish options that you may consider to choose are as below:

Rag Rolling: Rag rolling is an interesting and fun option to be considered. This is an option that will render the wall with a lot of pattern and texture. Basically a towel or rag is used rather than a paintbrush or roller to apply paint with one or more colors to create the texture. This look can be created by rolling paint onto the wall followed by rolling a rag over the top to pull off some of the paint texture.

Sponging: If you did sponge painting when you were still a kid, you definitely will love to create the same look on your walls at home, using sponges. The process of creating the same look is the same by painting the walls with the colors you have chosen and then pat the sponge on the wall in various directions. This creates an interesting and one of a kind look.

Antiquing: This process is a different type of faux painting. Chemical will be used to help “crackle” and transform the look of the paint into aged look. This can also be done with just paint, but with the use of colors and applications methods that will help turning into a faux antique look such as yellowing are always an ideal option. The process is quite unique and a lot of fun.

Brick Patterns: To create a faux interior wall of brick, the only things that you need to have are a few rectangular brick shaped sponges and the right type of paint. You are now ready to progress the project further to create what looks like a wall of bricks. A bit more skill and a lot of patience are required to work on this particular type of faux painting.

You may have fancy for a texture or a look that you would like it to be created on your walls; this can be done by using just a few tips and tools. Few methods such as create the look of granite, select a wood texture, go with color washing or lime washing are the options of faux painting that you can consider. Only few extra steps need to be taken to get this more unique, finished look.

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