Paint effects can be really useful if you want to give your place a totally unique look. You could hire a professional commercial painting contractor to carry out the work for you, or take the DIY route if you're confident.
Here's how to create a beautiful feathered paint effect.
Preparing the wall
Before you begin, it's useful to decide on the exact size of the area you want to paint in one sitting. This will help to prevent problems with blending the paint when the first coat has dried.
Wash down the wall with soapy water to get rid of any grease and dust, and then sand the area so that it is smooth. This will help to make sure that the paint will adhere properly and will give a good finish to the paint effect. If you want to seal or prime the wall, do so now.
Applying the base coat
Before you can apply a paint effect, you will need to put a base coat of silk emulsion onto the wall. You can't use matt emulsion for this job, as it is too porous and won't take the glaze that you will need to apply on top. Leave the paint to dry completely.
Glazing the surface
You now need to make up a paint glaze. To do this, use one part emulsion pain to three parts water and mix well. Remember that this mixture does dry almost immediately it's applied, so you will need to work quickly.
If you prefer, you could choose to use a clear, ready-made water-based glaze product that will take longer to dry, extending your working time. Simply add your chosen paint colour with the clear glaze and you're good to go.
Apply a single coat of glaze over the base coat and allow it to dry.
Applying a feathering effect
Applying a feathered effect is simple and produces a very effective finish. You will need paint brushes and a paint roller for this job together with two shades of paint.
- Start by brushing on a coat of the lighter shade of paint first.
- Allow the paint to dry.
- Next take the darker shade of paint and use your paint roller to apply it to half of the surface, starting at the bottom and finishing about half-way up.
- Take your paint brush and continue working along the upper edge of your dark shade, using upward strokes. As you reach the level you want to finish at, gently lift the brush away from the wall, leaving a feathered effect edge.