DIY Network

Faux Finishing: Painted "Stone Walls" From "Ask DIY Home Improvement" episode DADH-207

	Gary Lord shows you how to create the look of stone walls using a specialized plaster and paint technique.
	The "stones" are created using a specialized mixture of plaster and marble dust to create the look and texture of stone.

Q: We're refinishing our basement and I'd like to put stone on the walls. Real stone is way out of the budget. Can you show me how to do paint stones on the wall?

A: (from decorative painting specialist Gary Lord) Yes, you can paint "stones" on the wall, and it will certainly be a lot less expensive then hiring a stone mason. To create a stone look, you need to add what's called dimensional texture to the walls. It's really not that hard once you get comfortable with the process. As an example, a basement room was given a faux-stone treatment to create a medieval look. This project took about a week to complete.

Materials:

Aquabond® base-coat and paints
Aquastone® stone-plaster finish
Drywall blade
Cotton Rag

The basic steps for this faux-stone technique are below.

Tip: You may want to practice this technique on pieces of scrap board until you get the hang of it.

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	Figure A
	Figure B

• Base-coat the walls. For this, we used off-white Aquabond® -- a pure, 100-percent acrylic base paint that bonds to just about anything. It has great bonding and sealing qualities.

• Lay out the pattern using a pencil and straight-edge. You can create any size of stone blocks. You may want to consider working from a photo or books that show real stone mason layouts in different patterns. Offsetting the "grout lines" and varying the width of the "stone rows" creates a more natural appearance.

• Measure and mark the walls then, use a pencil or snap string to draw the pattern on the wall. For large sections where you need a snap string mix blue chalk with an equal amount of baby powder. That way, it will be easier to remove the chalk lines later. On smaller walls use a level and pencil to connect the dots. Use a #4 pencil so the lines are light and easy to cover up later.

• Apply 2-inch masking tape over the lines (figure A) to create the grout lines. Tear the tape at the top and the bottom edge so that you have ragged edges, just like a natural stone would.

  Tip: Allow the end of the tape to extend or overhang onto the ceiling or baseboards. This will make it easier to find the ends later after the "stone" has been applied (figure B).
  

  	Figure C
  	Figure D

• The product used to create the stone look is called Aquastone® -- a mixture marble dust mixed into plaster to create a hard finish. Mix the Aquastone according to the manufacturer's instructions.

• Apply the mixture over the entire area using a drywall blade. Skim the mixture onto the surface to create a random texture and dimensional quality. Apply the compound right over the tape. Make sure to expose an edge of the tape every now and then to make it easier to remove it. You want the Aquastone to be applied in varying thicknesses, no less than 1/16-inch and no more than 1/2-inch thick. You don't want the stone to be smooth.

• Wait thirty minutes to an hour, then remove the tape. The Aquastone will have started to dry on the top, but underneath will still be soft and pliable. Tear off the horizontal lines of tape first, then the vertical lines.

• Now tint your AquaCream® paint using dark brown, black and white tints to create three different values. Use three values of gray to get the stone castle look. Apply the colors one at a time onto each block using a 4-inch chip brush.

• Randomly apply different values of gray paint to the surface (figure C). Put each new value onto the unpainted areas and blend wet into wet.

• Rub off the glaze using a cotton rag. Now check your color balance (figure D) You want some blocks to be darker and others to be lighter. Your goal is to have a good balance.
  

  Figure E

• Tip: To create shadow around blocks, dilute your darkest value color with 30-percent water. Then take a artists brush and drag the color onto the bottom of each stone block and onto one side (figure E). Allow the color to go onto the stone and into your grout. Soften the edges with a rag.

• Using the same color and a 2-inch, brush drag the color up onto the bottom of the stone so that the color runs downward. Can even do this with the mid-value color. When the stone is dry use a 120-grit sandpaper to sand across the raised area to help create highlights and add dimension to the project.
  

RESOURCES :
The Art of Faux: The Complete Sourcebook of Decorative Painted Finishes
by Pierre Finkelstein (ISBN: 0823008584 )
Watson-Guptill Publications
Website: www.watsonguptill.com

Classic Paints & Faux Finishes: How to Use Natural Materials...
by Annie Sloan (ISBN: 0895778971)
Click here to order this title.
Penguin Putnam Inc.
E. Rutherford, NJ
USA
Phone: 201-933-9292
Toll Free Phone: 800-788-6262
E-mail: online@penguinputnam.com
Website: www.penguinputnam.com

Prismatic Painting Studio
Supplies and training for the decorative arts.
http://prismaticpainting.com

Aqua Finishing Products
Faux painting and decorative finishing.
A division of Faux Effects International.
www.aquafinishing.com