Decorative painting on walls
Throughout history the decorative painting It has been used for centuries to beautify objects and building interiors, as well as to imitate expensive materials. At present, the discovery of new synthetic paints allow the decoration of all types of surfaces, so the application has no limits and everything depends on the creativity of each person.
So let's try to reel off the painting effects on walls for decoration; From its characteristics, types, application processes and the different techniques that are currently practiced in wall decoration and that we can buy in the market.
Remember that we have already prepared an article on how to paint walls with various tips and tricks to achieve a perfect finish on the effect painting. Now it's time to see some examples of decorative paintings!
Types of wall paints
For decorate walls, there are different types of paint and each one of them is indicated for a particular use. Here we will deal with the most common ones used in the home to obtain some decorative finishes adequate, since in the industry there are countless varieties of paint, each one adapted to a particular production process.
1.- Plastic or latex paint
It is the most common used indoors for paint the wallDepending on their composition, they can also be used outdoors.
Most of the plastic or latex paints They are washable once they are applied, as their solvent is water, it has to dry well to appreciate these properties.
Generally, plastic paints can be: acrylics or vinyl and are called emulsion paints. Ideal for all types of walls and ceilings (plaster, plasterboard, plaster, cement, stone, tempera, …).
Let's see the advantages of plastic paint and their types in an infographic:
- Acrylic plastic paint. It is the most resistant type of paint for both interior and exterior and has a greater waterproofing capacity when Paint the walls (They resist mold and the effects of the Sun.
- Vinyl plastic paint. They offer greater versatility. Among its advantages we can highlight the ease of application, high flexibility or a vague smell. In addition, high quality satin finishes can be obtained with decorative effects surprising.
2.- Synthetic enamel paint
They are very strong paints, made up of synthetic solvent-based resins and can have a matte, satin and glossy finish. They are highly decorative and protective, generally used to paint wood and metals. Although they can be applied on most supports.
3.- Acrylic enamel paint
As its name indicates, its base is acrylic resins, as well as catalysts and pigments. They are soluble in water and have no odor, which is why they are indicated to be used in poorly ventilated places.
They adhere to most supports such as synthetic enamels, with the advantage that they do not smell, dissolve with water and are more ecological. They are used quite a bit for artistic decoration.
4.- Varnishes
The most common varnishes They are based on polyurethane, and are differentiated by the solvent used: Water, thinner or turpentine, oil.
It has waterproof, abrasion resistant properties, and it lasts for several years. They can be found already mixed with wood-colored stains (oak, cedar, mahogany, …) or transparent.
It is used to protect and decorate wood, but it is also used in crafts, since in its colorless format it allows to protect any painting (pictures, crafts, …)
5.- Mineral or silicate paint
They are based on liquid potassium silicate, minerals of natural origin and inorganic coloring pigments, the most important quality of these paints is that they adhere to the support through an insoluble chemical reaction called silicification or petrification, and do not form a surface film.
It is highly breathable or permeability to water vapor, ideal for use on walls with humidity problems to practice decorative effects on the walls.
We must remember that in the article on augmented reality applications for decoration we saw some interesting apps that can help us a lot with good ideas and simplify some tasks such as measuring walls.
Venetian stucco
Venetian stucco is prepared with lime, marble dust, and pigments. Lime has elastic properties, which prevents cracks due to contraction and expansion. It is also waterproof and fungicidal.
In the stucco processing includes pigments and synthetic compounds, in addition to the marble sand that provides shine and hardness. The walls to be stuccoed must be perfectly smooth and free of dirt, mold, dust or grease.
Types of stucco
- The lime stucco, which has high breathability and has a discontinuous color surface with a smooth, patina appearance. Formerly they were finished on fire, to give shine. It is suitable for indoor and outdoor decoration.
- The venetian stucco, which is the modern version, uses acrylic copolymers as a base. With imitation marble finish or the famous marble effect paint, it is more attractive than the previous one. It only applies indoors.
Stucco offers a wide field of application in interior design and its useful life is very long, if you use a quality stucco and it does not receive direct sunlight, it maintains its brightness and color for more than 10 years or more.
How to apply Venetian stucco
First of all we have to prepare the walls to the millimeter, since the stucco is translucent and has a memory effect, therefore everything that the spatula does on the wall will be registered. And, when it comes to giving shine, each layer will be seen, mounted one on top of the other.
Therefore, we will follow the following steps to apply Venetian stucco in the following video:
Step-by-step guide to applying Venetian stucco
- Preparation: Plug all holes and cracks with plastic putty. If the wall is uneven or with any defect, fix it before applying the stucco. Sand the surface and clean the entire wall.
- Primer: Give one or more (depending on the condition of the wall) coats of well diluted white plastic paint.
- Preview: Once dry, run your hand over the entire wall to detect the details that cannot be seen and repair them. Re-prime where we caulk.
- Base: With a large stainless steel trowel (better with rounded tips) we give the first layer of stucco as thick as possible. Once dry we sand the thickest details. If the color of the stucco is even, we go to the next step.
- Waters: This is the most important step, I recommend using 12 cm stainless steel masking tape. You have to be clear about how you will give the waters and do it evenly throughout the wall, without losing the reference of where you spatulate and where not.
With a very little amount of stucco on the spatula we are applying on the wall in all possible directions, left, right, up, down and diagonally. Even if you don't see it at the moment, when we shine the stucco, each one of the spatulas becomes visible. Therefore keep the same pattern.
The more layers you give, the better it will be. And since the last layer is the one that is most visible, you have already taken the trick of the doll's game, it should look good. With practice you will be able to make different drawings on the stucco, highlighting the peculiarities of this pleasant material.
- Shine or burned: Just as important as step 5. With the dry trowel, we rub, but without scratching, all the stucco to heat it and burn it. This way we will obtain the characteristic shine. As you burn, you will see the layers revive.
- Remember to pass the trowel in all directions, left, right, up, down and diagonally. Once finished, with a small spatula, we highlight the drawings that we like the most, rubbing the spatula against the stucco as much as necessary to leave it as we want.
- Wax: This step is optional. With a cloth we wax the surface and then polish it. This process will extend the life of the stucco.
Venetian stucco color chart
The shades and colors of a stucco with Venetian finish they can vary a lot, so it is best to show a catalog to get an idea:
Remember to see the color of the year according to El País.
Obviously the prices of a Venetian stucco They vary mainly according to their quality. If we decide to stucco the walls of our house, we must ensure that it is of good quality, which will ensure a durable and shiny finish.
Be careful with cheap stucco, we can be excellent stuccoers, but if the stucco does not shine enough or its application is difficult, the result will not be satisfactory. So take note!…
Florentine lands
Remember that for apply Florentine lands on a wall, they are based on high quality resins. It has a composition based on special white particles that contrast with the background color, which is given with a special brand tint.
The more dye we put, the more intense the final color is. This gives it clearly differentiated aesthetic characteristics, also making the finish highly washable and highly resistant and durable.
How to paint Florentine lands
It has a smooth texture, but with small reliefs. At the time of apply Florentine lands On a surface, we recommend using an opaque base or primer first, for an optimal finish.
It is used a lot with oriental styles since it fits perfectly and especially in the Feng Shui decoration and its colors providing a relaxed atmosphere.
We can avoid buying this by using white plastic paint. Tips for a professional finish with painting to florentine lands are:
- Load the wall generously and evenly, in the shape of a cross, without going through the same place twice.
- Allow 10 minutes to elapse before squashing the particles with the plastic spatula.
In some cases we can hear of a finish with rodantine lands, which is the same as the Florentine lands but with another brand: washable and breathable decorative coating made with pigment.
Sand effect paint
The sand effect decorative paint, Its base is neutral in color and adding the essence we give the color to our liking.
- They can be applied both indoors and outdoors.
- Its dilution and cleaning are done with water as they are acrylic
- Although it is normally applied on smooth surfaces, it can also be applied in gotelé although the effect will not be so attractive.
To understand it better we leave an excellent video in which there are different tips on how to apply the sand effect on a wall.
Depending on the brand, we also have the multi-color option - different varieties - that are prepared ready to use and cannot be colored. The background or primer, called base quartz, is very important. It is applied with a roller and a bit, it is rough to the touch.
To paint we are going to use a synthetic brush with hard hair, and we will have a bucket of water at hand to wet the brush a little when highly saturated sectors of material are formed and to be able to distribute it more easily. Always keep the same inclination on the lines, the best is at 45º.
A good advice in the application is not to divide the walls into sections, neither horizontally nor vertically. The application must be with pendular movements and start from an upper corner, in this way we will ensure that the joints between the different sections are not noticeable.
False stucco
The effect of a stucco paint on a wall, the different blades of the trowel in its different directions must be observed. The goal is to create a feeling of overlapping layers and volumes. With the false stucco technique We tried to reproduce those strokes in all directions using a brush or roller.
To create an effect of rustic painting and suitable old, it is necessary to match the colors for the stucco that combine adequately and that will be two, preferably not use tones that contrast a lot with each other, but rather, two tones of the same range; a lighter base, and the other color that makes the effect darker (ocher, blue, earth, green … etc).
How to apply false stucco on a wall
- First we should apply two coats of satin white paint (Remember the drying times between coats according to the manufacturer). It is highly recommended to use a white paint base to later apply any color in order to intensify the tonality.
- For make the false stucco, secondly we will paint the wall with the lighter color.
- Now we have to prepare the paint that we have chosen darker with the glaze to produce that contrast effect. It looks should add about 10%. The glaze is a compound of drying retardants and varnish, which will have pigmentation or not to give it color. With this, it is possible to delay the drying time in order to achieve that effect and, at the same time, protection and transparency.
- We will apply passes with this mixture on the wall using the wide blade. It is best to do it in a fan shape and working in areas of about one square meter.
- Using a well wrung and moistened roller - without paint - make different passes over the paint that you have just printed on the wall in all directions and overlapping them. Remember that it is about not having all the passes with the same intensity, so vary your strength.
Remember that you must work in approximate areas of more or less, one square meter. The fake stucco paint It is grateful but you have to have patience and methodology in its obligation.
Metallic paint
For the technique of metal paint It is much simpler and we will achieve a luxurious and shiny effect. Currently we have a rich variety, the main tones are copper, gold and silver.
Although in the metallic paints the color is grateful to the eye, the reality is that it is advisable only to apply it on a single wall that is not too large or on a part, but a pillar or for example the fireplace area.
It is usually combined with the minimalist decoration style since similar tones are combined.
We leave you an interesting video of Tintanlux on how to apply metallic paint for walls with some tips.
Rust effect paint
It can be applied in all styles of decoration, it is recommended in spaces with an industrial style. Currently the market already offers us oxide effect paints that have a more than good result that will present us with an aged and oxidized appearance.
We have to remember that they are not only intended for walls, but can also be used on doors, windows, objects, furniture or whatever our imagination reaches and, we will find both for interiors and exteriors.
It is advisable in the rusty paint application first paint the walls with a dark or gray base, and then apply the appropriate finish.
In the following video they explain very well how to apply rust effect paint on walls step by step.
Fluffed paint
You are actually one of the simplest ways to decorate the walls with a quite achieved effect. It is about applying the painting with a sponge (the (Sponge should be vegetable).
For the fluffing technique we should follow the following steps:
- To do it well we should use two different tones, one will be the base, and the other the tone with which we will color with the sponge (Use similar tones)
- First apply a coat of paint of the same tone as the base by means of a roller (It is advisable to choose the lightest one as the base)
- With a vegetable sponge - although some practice it with a cloth -, wet it with water and apply the paint (Don't have too much), tap lightly and irregularly touch the surface with the second tone and we will obtain a perfect finish.
How general practical tips and tricks on the fluffy style Smooth paint should be used in light tones so as not to saturate the atmosphere of the room or room. It is also advisable to only use it on a wall so that the design looks good.
Gradient painting
Apply the technique of weathered paint It is not difficult, the only thing that has a long painting process and that we must be careful.
The technique consists of using a base color, which will be the darkest, and we are adding layers of lighter paint to achieve softer tones. Here it is very important to clearly delineate the areas with masking tape.
Excellent shapes and color combinations to give a vintage touch to the house.
Be careful!… We are not applying a blur or gradient to the painting continuously.Gradients in paint are very difficult to get and they look really good, it costs a lot! Here we separate the tones allowing the idea of creating geometric shapes with paint zigzag style, linear or curved or even round.
Chalkboard paint
Although this style is easy to apply, we must bear in mind that it is not recommended to use it on decorative textured paints or on gotelé that we already have.
You can apply the blackboard finish paint on multiple surfaces; smooth walls, ceramics, furniture or for example wooden doors (before sanding).
It is often applied a lot in the design of modern kitchens to give it a touch of originality, we can see some examples of kitchens with colors, distribution and design HERE to see possibilities.
It is always advisable to apply a water-based sealer primer to prevent the pore of the wall or any other material from absorbing the paint too much.
For the rest, follow the manufacturer's instructions that are indicated on the special bottle of chalkboard painting. Remember that it is true that it is an expensive paint and when it is applied on porous surfaces, more paint is absorbed.
It should also be noted that it cannot be diluted since we need to maintain the consistency of the paint and that a good drying is necessary. Expect to wait 7 days before paint on the wall so that it becomes a real blackboard.
Although we have named a broad classification of effects that we can achieve with paintings, every day the market offers new innovations without counting on the imagination of each one. So, paint!
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