How to Paint a Faux Metallic Finsh

Metallic glaze are the easiest way to create dramatic metallic look on any wall in your home. This is a simple project; you don’t need to have any experience with glazing or even painting your own walls.

There are a few differ coats of paint in this metallic wall finish project, so you will need a few days to complete the entire home improvement project. You won’t be working all day, but the drying paint will take some time.

To Paint a Metallic Faux Finish Wall You Will Need:

Interior Late paint
Metallic Glaze
Pain trays
Painter’s Tape
Paint brushes
Paint Rollers

The first step when applying any type of metallic glaze to a wall is to choose the right base coat of interior latex paint. This is the most important part of the entire project and I can not stress this to you enough. If you choose to ignore the next bit of advise, I can almost grantee you your metallic finish will look tacky, fake, and even streaky.

You need to paint the wall with a base coat of interior latex paint in a color that will complement the glaze.
This step is so important I really should write it for you twice highlight it with bold lettering an underline it.

To clarify this step, this means for a silver glaze, you should always use a gray interior latex paint for your base. For a copper faux metallic wall finish you should always use a reddish or terra cotta base color in interior latex paint. Finally, for a gold metallic faux wall finish you need to always use yellow or golden tan interior latex wall paint for the base paint color. Go for a dark yellowed tan color that looks a lot like mustard for a gold metallic paint finish.

Silver, copper and gold metallic glazes applied over a base coat of white or black gives an unprofessional look that is streaky and unfinished looking.

The second most important step in applying a faux metallic wall paint treatment is to know that less is more. This means less wall space. If you are going to try to paint large expansive walls or entire room you will have streaks that are noticeable. There is no way around it and you have to accept this. Small doses in accent area will really create a professional and realistic metallic faux treatment that can really add great depth to an interior design scheme.

Finally, if you insist on painting a large area with faux metallic wall paint finish, then you need to do so with either a paint sprayer or a simply hire a professional. You can rent a paint sprayer at your local home imporvemtn store.

Now, of your small area of wall or furniture you simply roll on the base interior coat of latex paint in the appropriate color. Allow this paint color to dry.

Now, roll on the glaze with a foam roller. You could also paint it on with a soft bristled paint brush in an X motion. The great thing about a faux paint treatment that uses glaze is that glaze can often stay wet a little longer than traditional paint, which extends the time you have to work with it.

So, with a little prep work, some know how, and an acknowledgement of the limitations of this faux paint treatment, you really can create a great looking accent wall that has a metallic look to it.

This is also a great paint treat for furniture. Specifically furniture tops.