Faux Suede Technique

Have you ever wanted to try the faux suede technique for your walls? Many people use faux painting technique to express their personality or to enhance a theme of their home, or the particular room in their home. This decorative technique has been used and treasured since antiquity. One of the most famous faux painting techniques is trompe l’oiel (or fool the eye). This technique makes the viewer think she is looking at a three-dimensional object when actually it is just a painting on a smooth, flat wall. Some of the most famous decorators who used trompe l’oeil were the ancient Romans who enjoyed using this illusion in their homes. The faux suede painting technique is similar to trompe l’oiel in that it fools the eye into thinking the wall surface is actually textured leather or suede when in reality it is simply paint.

With the five steps, detailed in this blog, you can create a faux suede technique in your home. First, you must clean and patch walls before starting. A dirty, bumpy, wall full of cracks doesn’t work for a typical paint job. It definitely will not allow you to achieve a faux finish. With a good quality plaster, fill all holes, cracks, and gouges. After an appropriate drying time, sand the wall smooth, taking care to clear the wall surface and room of any dust. Use a dry cloth to wipe down dusty walls. Use a damp sponge or even better use a sponge soaked in a water and vinegar solution. This old-fashioned concoction works very well for cleaning.

The second step is careful taping. Tape the edges of the wall, but make sure the wall is clean and dry before you tape. Then prime the wall using a fine quality latex interior paint. Exterior prime will not work well for this project. Choose a prime paint in a light color so that it won’t bleed through the paint you use for your suede effect. Next, it is time to start painting using your chosen wall color. Apply your first coat of suede paint using a paint a good paint roller. First, edge or cut in the corners and the angles at door and window frames and the ceiling with a small brush. You should work in small sections of the wall as you roll the suede paint. Use a medium-size roller and apply the paint in overlapping V-shapes. For fine coverage, you should blend each section with the previous one as you cover the entire wall. Make sure you allow the first coat enough time to dry completely before applying the second coat of paint. Your first coat will look a bit patchy, streaky-imperfect. Never fear, this is the precise result you want. Remember you are creating faux suede illusion.

Now we have reached the fourth step. For the second coat, use a 3-inch brush for application. Start at the top of one corner and work your way outward to cover the entire wall. To ensure the faux suede effect, crisscross your brush strokes as you apply the second coat. Using the crisscross technique is crucial. Paint with a random, organic pattern. Blend each “X” mark into the wet paint right next to it. You will have two uneven paint application-by design. The two uneven paint application patterns help to create the illusion of texture on the wall once the paint is dry.

Your fifth and final step, is to remove the painter’s tape. Make sure you remove the tape while the paint is still wet. Many folks think they should remove the tape after the paint is dry. Ironically, you can cause damage to your paint job when you do this. Removing tape after the paint has dried can remove the dried paint, creating flakes and cracks. Let the wall dry for twenty-four hours. After an adequate drying time, you can enjoy your uniquely stylish new room!

If you have any questions about creating a faux suede, faux marble or wood effect in your home or you would like an estimate for your paint project, give us a call at (508) 740-6212 or fill out the Get A Quote form on this website.

Be well,

Bill