2 Painting Techniques That Can Hide Imperfections
Posted on: 11 August 2015
The walls in your home can become damaged over time. Whether they get bumped by furniture, scuffed from feet, or worn from the continued rubbing of a pet, your walls likely have some imperfections. Replacing the drywall to get rid of these imperfections can be costly, with most homeowners paying an average of $30 per hung sheet.
If you want to update the look of your home's interior without spending the money to replace damaged drywall, here are two painting techniques you can use to hide imperfections.
1. Add some texture to your walls before applying a fresh coat of paint.
Imperfections that are visible on smooth walls can easily be camouflaged by adding some texture to the wall's surface before you paint. Adding texture to your walls is a simple project that can be completed with the help of a drywall hopper and an air compressor, both of which can be rented from your local hardware store.
Purchase some drywall texture and mix it in a bucket according to the manufacturer's directions. Add the mixture to the drywall hopper, and connect the hopper to a compressor that is equipped to provide 30 pounds of air pressure.
For a lighter texture (sometimes called orange peel texture due to its resemblance to the pits in an orange peel), use a spray nozzle with a narrow opening. If you want more texture on your walls (known as popcorn texture due to its resemblance to popcorn), use a wide nozzle. Once the drywall texture has been evenly applied and had time to dry, apply a coat in paint in the color of your choice and watch your wall's imperfections disappear.
2. Use the color washing technique to give your walls an old-world feel.
When you want to hide imperfections on your wall's surface while maintaining the smooth texture of your existing wall, then color washing could be the answer. Color washing gives walls an aged patina that helps to camouflage imperfections while adding an elegant, old-world feel to the room.
Begin by painting a base coat on the wall, and letting this base coat dry completely. Next, mix equal parts of your coordinating top coat color, water, and a latex glaze in a bucket. Dampen a small area of the wall with some cheesecloth and apply a small amount of the top coat mixture.
Use damp sheepskin to disperse the top coat, and finish the look with a dry brush to break up darker areas of color. Repeat the process in small sections, working until your wall is completely color washed, and your imperfections will be hidden.
For help with more complicated projects, contact painting contractors in your area.
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