Faux Leather Painting

Faux Leather Painting is becoming the new finish for walls. The beauty it adds to a room is one of the benefits.

However, another very important one is your walls do not have to be perfect to apply a faux leather finish to them. If there are a couple little nicks, it is possible to cover these up and they will not even be noticeable.

This is one of the projects that many people are trying out today as a way of improving their homes. The procedure is simple, the look is fantastic and no one will ever guess you did it yourself if you can keep a secret.

What Will You Need?

Here is a list of the supplies you will need to get started finishing your walls and enjoying the look of faux leather in no time.

Painting supplies - brushes - including foam ones, tray and rollers, painter's tape and one each tan and cream latex paint.
Glazing medium
Water
Clean rags and chamois cloth
Rubber Band
Scissors

Wall Preparation

Once you have removed everything from the wall you will be working on, the best thing to do would be to wipe down the wall and remove the electrical plates. Next you will be applying the painter's tape to the edges of everything you want to stay paint free.

Now you can begin by putting a coat of the cream paint on the wall with the roller. Paint like you typically do using a brush to trim around the painter's tape and the electrical outlets. As it dries you will be able to tell if you need to apply another coat.

Now for the Faux Leather Look

Take the chamois cloth and cut strips from two to four inches wide. The next step is to fold all of these strips half length so the ends are even. Place the rubber band around the cloths so that all the cut ends are together on one side and the folded ends are together on the other side.

Using your paint tray start mixing the glazing medium and the tan paint until it is the color you want on your walls. Put a small amount of this color on the foam brush and dab it along the areas you already trimmed along the painter's tape and electrical outlets. Make sure you just use short dabbing motions and do not actually paint these areas.

The next step is to use the roller and paint the mixture on the wall. Just do small parts of the wall at a time so the glaze will not dry too quickly. As soon as you get a small portion done, take the chamois you have wrapped together and dip it in water, squeezing it out so that it is damp - not wet. Pat the end with the strips on the wall allowing it to remove part of the glaze.

The final step is to take a clean cloth and dip it in clean water, squeeze it out until it is damp as well and pat the wall with it. This will help to create the appearance of soft leather.

The key to creating the perfect faux leather walls is to take your time. If you get in a hurry and try to do too much of the wall at a time, the glaze will dry on one section while you are working on another and the look will not be leather.

Creating the look of leather on your walls is a fun project and you will be pleased with the end result. The soft look of leather can enhance your home and the room will truly be your own personal creation.

A couple of tips you may want to keep in mind are many people use a stippling brush to achieve this look. If that is your preference it may be used. However, the procedure outlined here works just as well and it is easier in my opinion to keep the look more uniform.

The entire cost of faux leather painting is not expensive, but it can make your room look expensive. All that is left now is to clean your tools, put up a few paintings to set off your new wall, sit down, relax and enjoy your new room.