Sponge Painting Your Walls

Sponge painting is so much fun you might feel as if you are not really painting. The look is great when it is complete and it also hides imperfections on your wall.

If you have never sponge painted before you may want to practice on something unimportant before actually putting it on your walls.

Many people are finding that doing this themselves is not only fun, but the sense of accomplishment they have when it is finished is very satisfying. As a matter of fact, when friends ask who did your walls and you tell them you did, you might have a few more walls to do.

What Will You Need?

Painting supplies - tray and liner, paint roller, painter's tape, base paint, top coat paint and faux glaze.
Bucket
Paint stirring stick
A natural sea sponge
Rubber Gloves

Preparing to Paint

Once you have assembled all the things needed to begin your project, you are ready to begin. Take everything off the walls and wipe them down. This will get rid of any dust or dirt that would get mixed in your paint. Remove all electrical face plates and tape everything off that you do not want paint to get on using the painter's tape.

Let's Sponge Paint!

Put your base coat on the wall. This color should be a flat or semi-gloss paint of a light color. While you are waiting for the base coat to dry, you can prepare the next step of the painting process.

Using a bucket, mix the top color paint and the faux glaze by using one part paint and four parts glaze. Take the sea sponge and dip it in the mixture. Have something handy for blotting the extra paint and glaze it picks up.

Starting in the corners, just press the sponge lightly onto the wall. Do this using the sponge to make your own pattern. This should leave a bit of the glaze on the top of the first coat of paint you used. Remember tapping this color on lightly is the idea of creating the pattern that will ultimately give your wall the great look it is going to have. So do not be too heavy handed.

When you have used all the glaze from the sponge, dip it and blot it again and pick up where you left off working your way around the room. It is best to do small areas and do not allow the edge where you left off to dry before starting again. If you need, you can tear a small piece from the sponge to use in corners.

Take a step back from time to time and make sure the wall is consistent. Finish all the walls you are doing in the same manner and when it is finished you will have a beautiful new room with a unique look that is all your own. This is not an expensive project and can be done by a beginner if they follow the instructions.

A couple of tips to remember are if a light color is used for the base, using a darker color glaze will make the room appear darker. If you would rather have a light look, make sure the glaze is lighter than the base coat. Do not use totally different glaze and base paint especially where the tone of the paint is concerned. This will not achieve the look you want.

You must use a natural sea sponge. Always wear gloves to keep the glaze from getting on your hands. Work your way from the corners out and this will help achieve an even and consistent flow.

Clean up your roller, empty your pans and put everything away. Take a break, relax and enjoy the beautiful new room you have created before you decide to tackle another painting job.