Are you tired of looking at plain dull concrete around your home? Have you seen beautifully colored concrete and wondered how it’s done? It’s not difficult and can be done by the average do-it-yourselfer.

Concrete staining is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to decorate new and existing concrete surfaces. Staining can transform your concrete surface into a stunning and unique masterpiece with little cost compared to other decorative methods such as stamping. Concrete staining is excellent for patios, porches, driveways and even interior floors like kitchens and basements.

The two common types of concrete stains are acid and acrylic. Acid stains are the popular choice; however, some concrete surfaces have too many cosmetic defects for acid staining. Acid stains will actually highlight any defects and variations on the surface. Also, older concrete looses its ability to react with acid stains because the free lime that is needed for the reaction leeches away over time. Although the natural coloring of acid stains cannot be paralleled with other types of concrete stains, the marbled and multihued appearance can be created with acrylic stains using faux finish staining techniques.

There are benefits to faux finish staining with acrylic stains, the biggest being the wide array of colors to choose from. Using acrylic stains, you can incorporate more vibrant colors with endless options for color schemes and patterns. Acid stains are only available in earth tones of browns, blues, and reds. It is feasible to faux finish with both acid and acrylic stains together. Maybe you have your heart set on acid staining but want to add a little zest with some brightly colored acrylic stains. Your choices are only limited by your imagination.

Another advantage of faux finish staining with acrylic stains is having control over the outcome or final appearance. Because acrylic stains are more like dyes, they will help mask cosmetic defects and you know exactly what shades and colors you’ll end up with.

Faux finish staining with acrylic stains allows you total control over the variations and patterns created. With acid staining, aside from choosing the color, you have no control over the variations created by the reactive coloring process. Even though the surface appears to be consistent before staining, it is in fact quite the opposite and acid stains will highlight any inconsistencies. Also, you can never be sure what shades of the chosen color you’re going to get until it’s finished and sealed.

Because faux finish painting has become popular for enhancing interior walls, why not apply similar methods with concrete stains to jazz up a patio or basement floor. You don’t have to settle for boring gray concrete even if it’s been there for years. The techniques used for staining concrete differ somewhat from painting walls because you’re working on a horizontal surface as opposed to a vertical surface, but the concept behind both remains the same.

By: Kirk Muhlhauser

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Ready to wake up boring white sheetrock? This article discusses ways to brighten your interior space through a variety of faux painting techniques.

Faux finis (pronounced “foe”) is French for looking or imitating something else. Through use of various techniques, one can create the look of marble, wood, stone etc… over almost any surface. Faux painting is all the rage in homes across the country. Faux options are like artwork for your walls, adding instant warmth, texture and glamour to otherwise boring sheetrock. The most popular of all faux finishes are those that are created with two or more colors (or intensities of color) which help create the illusion of depth.

There are numerous ways to faux finish your walls using such techniques as:

Antiquing Bellagio Faux Color Rubbing Color Streaking Crackle Dragging Fresco Frottage – Antique effect using paint, glaze and plastic sheets. Luminoso Ragging on / off Sponging on / off Marblizing Metallic Faux Wood Graining Color Washing Texture Color Washing Cloud – Subtle aged effect. Pearlescent Plaster Sandwash Striping Stripling Venetian Plaster Wall Waxing
Spa Look

The “spa look” is another popular faux finish obtained through use of Venetian Plaster with a light faux overlay. The Fresco Wall Finish is another option for aged, light and airy appeal.

Wall Antiquing

Antiquing or “aging” is the faux painting technique that simulates natural wear and tear using paint glazes, crackle glazes, bees wax, paper, hammers, sandpaper, or chains to distress and weather an object, wall,… The aged antiqued effect can be achieved by using a latex or oil color glaze or varnish that looks like an aged, brown, color or by whitewashing and wiping most of the white wash off.

The Aged Crackle Finish is one that can look contrived unless done well. Distressing gives a wall an old-time worn feel, adding dimension and interest to a vintage or rustic interior. Wall waxing creates a soft textured surface can also be created with wax, paint and embossing powder. Antiquing creates homes and businesses with the “Old World” or “Italian Villa” aesthetic.

Hand Painting

Another way to add interest to your walls and ceilings is with Trompe L’ Oeil Murals or those of the hand-painted variety.

Wall Texture

Texture your wall with tumbling stones or create the look of leather, bamboo, old world, stone, and plasters to set the mood for your furnishings. You can also achieve the look of stone such as granite, marble, slate or mosaic tile.

Venetian Plaster and plaster paint techniques require painted with a sheen such as eggshell or satin or on lime washed walls. Scrumble glazes in (warm colors like:burnt umber, burnt sienna, raw sienna, and yellow ochre) are applied to create areas of light and dark. This technique gives the Old World or Tuscan feel.

Faux Metallic

You can use paint to create a metallic look of copper, bronze, brushed metal, steel or gold and gold leaf.

No matter which finish you choose for the walls of your home-sweet-home, make sure you create a sample of the design first. The process is expensive if you hire someone to do the work, or if you do it yourself, so you want to make sure it will give the effect you intend before you begin the painting process.

By: Jenna Ryan

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