Textured Paint Made Easy
When my mom had our house interior painted, I saw the painter roll up an old towel, dip it in paint, and sort of used it as a paint roller. The end result: those fancy designs you see on expensive paint rollers.
That got me thinking: if all there is in textured paint are those raised surfaces and designs from expensive paint rollers, why can't we use ordinary household items instead? After all, textured paint is just a painted surface that doesn't look flat. The extra depth and neat designs can be achieved with some ordinary materials. Try these on for size:
- Rolled-up towels. The painter who painted our house dipped a moistened face towel into a tray of paint, and rolled the towel up the wall. He says it takes a bit of practice to perfect this technique, so you may want to try this out first on a piece of blank plywood or drywall.
- Sponges. Kitchen sponges are relatively inexpensive. You can cut up some sponges into different patterns and designs, and then dab them into a bit of paint and onto the wall. It adds a nice touch if you don't press too firmly on the sponge when you're decorating the wall with it.
- Pattern paper. One technique you can use to add some extra depth to your wall is to lay patterns on tape or paper on the wall before you paint it. Think of the pattern paper as a "mask" that you can peel off when the paint dries.
- Feathers. An old feather duster can also add those cloud-like effects to your ceilings and walls. When using a feather duster to paint walls, use light strokes. You'll need more than a few feather dusters to paint your walls, because they'll eventually be ruined by the paint.
Textured walls are not just for the homes of the rich anymore. With these do-it-yourself tricks, you can make painting your house more artistic than just dealing and living with a flat coat of paint.
Marocharim, Web and technical writer
This frustrated home designer is a 20-something whose job requires him to use a lot of creativity, but is challenged by the simplest home design problems. He thinks his house looks like a pigsty compared to most homes & is determined to make his living space better in time.
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Jenna | Apr 27th 2009 8:57AM
have tried repainting my bathroom over the weekend using towels to add texture and it turned out great! thanks for the tip!