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Sponge
Painting Walls
Looking
for fresh ideas when painting your home? Remember walls no longer
have to be one standard color anymore. Consider using the sponge
technique to spice things up. There are many different techniques
you can use when doing decorative painting like stenciling and
painting walls two-tone. But sponge painting is probably the
easiest technique to learn and one of the most striking. It involves
dabbing a second color over the first plain color to achieve
a more textured effect. You’ve probably seen this used in
restaurants or nightclubs but it can work just as well in a home.
Just
as in most painting endeavors the first step is to choose colors.
Obviously you will want two colors that compliment each other
well. If you are going for a highly noticeable and striking effect
you will want to choose colors with a lot of contrast, a fairly
dark color and a fairly light color. You will also need to decide
which color to use as the base color and which to use as the
accentuating color. One interesting thing about sponge painting
is that it allows you to use darker colors than you would normally
use. A dark solid color will seem oppressive but with a lighter
layer of sponge painting on top you can avoid making the room
seem too dark. Using the dark color on the bottom or creates
a totally different effect from using it as the accentuating
color so consider both possibilities. Remember when buying the
paint that the accent layer will not use nearly as much paint
as the solid layer.
If you
are aiming for a subtle effect choose colors that are equally
light or dark. One suggestion is to use colors that are only
one or two shades different from each other. There are also many
specialty paints on the market now that can be used to create
a unique look. For instance, using a metallic paint as the accent
coat can be quite striking. Sponge painting requires at least
two colors but you don’t have to stop at two. Many accent
layers can be added on top of the solid base. However, the colors
must be chosen even more carefully if there are more than two
so that all the colors blend well. Choosing the colors is particularly
difficult for sponge painting because it is hard to visualize
what the actual effect will be. As long as the colors compliment
each other it should turn out looking great. If you are not sure
you will like effect choose one spot to test it out on that and
if you don’t like it simply paint over it with the solid
color. However, it is impossible to get the full effect of sponge
painting until you paint the whole room.
Once
you have chosen the colors the actual painting is fairly easy.
You will need to buy a sponge to apply the accent color. Most
paint stores stock natural sponges that can be used or you can
use a regular kitchen sponge as well. Before painting it is a
good idea to test out the sponge technique on a piece of paper.
You should be able to get a good idea about how the two colors
will look together as well as what types of patterns that your
sponge will make. Take note of the effects you can achieve with
the sponge and what looks best to you. Once you are ready to
paint the walls first apply the solid color in the same manner
as you usually paint the walls. Allow plenty of time for the
bottom coat to dry before attempting to do the accent coat. If
the walls are already the color that you want as the solid there’s
no need to paint them again. In fact, adding the accent coat
is a good way to make a big change to room without a lot of work.
It can also be used as a cover up for dingy walls.
Applying
the accent color is the fast fun part. First make sure the sponge
is damp. Then dip the sponge in paint so that the edges all have
paint on them but do not dunk the whole sponge in the paint.
The sponge pattern is achieved by the dry spots on the sponge
as well as the spots with paint on them. Now you are ready to
gently dab the sponge on the wall. Do this in several places.
Make sure to space these dabs out and do it in a fairly random
manner. Remember that when you first dab the sponge there will
be a lot of paint on it but after a few dabs amount of paint
will be less. Avoid putting first dabs next to each other or
you will wind up with dark spots and light spots. Instead of
starting at one end and moving straight through to the opposite
end try to place dabs randomly in a large area. Keep adding dabs
until you attain the density you desire. Be careful not to apply
too much of the accent coat and clog up the effect. Also be aware
of the corners. Don’t just dab to the edge and leave the
corners clear or you will wind up with an unwanted empty margin
around the edges. Go ahead and dab in the corners and where the
walls meet but don’t mash the sponge into the corners. The
accent coat dries fairly quickly. If you are using more than
one accent coat make sure the first is completely dry before
applying any others. Also remember to leave enough empty space
for the amount of different colors that you are using.
Sponge
painting is much easier than it appears and it can be used to
achieve many effects from wild to classy. The most important
part is deciding what kind of effect you want. With a little
planning sponge paint can go a long way.
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