Sponging For Texture
Sponging is one of the quickest and easiest decorative and faux finish painting techniques, and a fun and functional way to faux finish any surface in your home or office. Sponging gives a deep, textured appearance to walls, ceilings, or furnitureThe Flood Company offers a variety of products to help with your sponging project Try Floetrol® - a conditioner for flat or semi-gloss latex paints and enamels. Adding Floetrol to latex paint improves the performance of the paint, contributing to your sponging technique, and keeping the projects flowing smoothly. Floetrol gives latex paint the flow and leveling of oil paint to enhance it performance in less-than-ideal circumstances. It minimizes brush and roller marks to make your faux finish technique and paint job look better with less effort.Also try Penetrol® - a paint conditioner to be added to oil or alkyd based paints to make painting projects flow more smoothly. Penetrol reduces brush marks and leveling problems while improving penetration and adhesion of the paint.Sponging with different colors will add originality to any surface. You can really be creative with the sponging technique, so try it with more than one color. Below is everything you need to complete your wall sponging project. Shopping List:• 2 different colors latex (acrylic) paint • Large sea sponge • Paint tray • Painter’s tape • Gloves (disposable) • Paper (paper towels for blotting) • Floetrol® or Penetrol®Directions:1. Mask off areas you don’t want to finish with low tack painter’s tape, including adjacent walls and ceilings. 2. Be sure your surface is completely prepared and primed before you start sponging. 3. Apply the base coat (first color – can either be the lighter or the darker color). Let it dry overnight. 4. Using an empty can or disposable cup as a measuring device, mix 3 volumes of latex (acrylic) paint to 1 volume of Floetrol*, or 3 volumes alkyd (oil-base) paint to one volume Penetrol.* 5. Pour approximately ½” of paint mixture into your paint tray. Dampen sponge in water and squeeze out excess. Lightly dip sponge into paint. Blot off excess paint on paper or paper towel. 6. Press sponge lightly against the wall. Repeat this sponging technique in an overall pattern and texture, making sure some of the base coat is showing through. 7. Rotate sponge (except when touching the wall) so you’re not creating repetitive patterns or marks. 8. Work the edges of the wall first. Balance the wall sponging finish to match the edges. Be sure to stand back every once in a while to judge the uniformity of the pattern and finish. You can make corrections by using the base coat color and a fresh sponge. Tips:• For the most effective sponging, cover one square yard at a time before moving on. • Complete opposite walls first, then adjacent walls to ensure you are always putting tape on dry walls. • If you’re applying more than one color, wait until the first color dries before applying additional colors. *These are approximate ratios. Surface conditions, temperature, humidity, direct sunlight and application methods vary widely and may affect performance. Experiment on samples using different ratios.
About the Author
Flood products are designed to restore, protect and beautify natural woods and other challenging surfaces. The company’s brands and products are sold in more than 25,000 retail outlets throughout the world and include CWF-UV/CWF-UV5, Penetrol, Floetrol, E-B Emulsa-Bond, Restora and the CWF-UltraLast portfolio of products. Log on to www.flood.com for more helpful hints and “exterior design” ideas. Visit their website at: http://www.flood.com
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