Faux bamboo paint technique

Bamboo wall coverings are a popular décor choice when wanting to evoke the tranquillity of a Zen inspired household.

The rich texture of bamboo can be a stylish substitute for expensive wall coverings without their potential fraying and easy soiling. The benefit of a faux bamboo paint technique is you can personalise the whole thing from colour to positioning. Here’s how its done… 

 

You will need:
- Masking tape
- Drop cloth
- Stirring sticks
- Paint tray and roller
- Paints: antique-white satin-finish paint for base coat; warm-olive, greenish-gray, and mossy-brown satin-finish paints for glaze coat
- Squeegee
- Ruler
- Fine-tip marker and pencil
- Crafts knife and cutting mat
- Metal yardstick
- [3] plastic containers
- Scumble glaze
- Brush
- Lint-free cotton cloths

 

Here's how:

1. Mask ceiling, baseboards, and trim with masking tape. Paint the entire wall in the antique-white base coat colour. Paint two coats if necessary. Leave tape on; let it dry overnight.

2. Use a ruler and fine-tip marker to divide the blade of the squeegee into 2cm sections. Cut out a small notch, approximately 2mm, at every mark with a crafts knife; use a safe cutting surface, such as a self-healing cutting mat.

3. Using a metal yardstick and pencil, mark the wall in 1 metre-wide sections. Tape off alternating vertical sections with masking tape. In a plastic container, mix 4 parts glaze to 1 part warm-olive paint.

Use the same process to make two additional glazes with greenish-gray paint and mossy-brown paint.

 

4. Dip the brush into varying combinations of glaze mixes. Starting at the top of the wall, brush glaze onto the first taped-off section using a horizontal motion.

5. While the glaze is still wet, place the squeegee on top of one taped edge and drag horizontally until you reach the opposite edge, pulling the squeegee onto the tape. Wipe excess glaze onto a cloth after each pass. Overlap the squeegee pulls to create a continuous pattern.

6. Using the brush, lightly dry-brush the lines in a horizontal motion to blend and soften.

7. Move down the wall, brushing on glaze with the brush. Overlap your brush strokes into the previously glazed section to create a continuous pattern. 

 

8. Drag the squeegee horizontally through the glaze in the same manner as in Step 3. If the glaze becomes too dry to produce continuous lines, add a small amount of water to your mixtures and reapply the glaze with a brush. This will dampen the surface and allow a clean sweep with the squeegee.

9. Lightly soften the lines with the brush, using a horizontal motion before the glaze dries. Continue until you've finished the section; let dry.

10. Tape off the remaining sections. Repeat the process until the wall is completed. Remove remaining tape; allow to dry.

Design Tips:
Divide the wall into panels by taping off 1 metre-wide sections. To create the effect, dip your brush into varying combinations of glazes and apply to the wall.

Drag a notched squeegee horizontally across the wet glazed surface, overlapping strokes to create a continuous pattern. Blend the lines with a brush to create a soft effect.

Article courtesy of: www.home-dzine.co.za

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