How to Create Marble Effects With Paint on Concrete
- 1). Scrub the concrete with a solution of one part bleach to four parts water.
- 2). Prep the work area by placing painter's tape along the edges of the walls where you're applying the paint. Cover the floor and any furniture you can't move with dropcloths.
- 3). Apply the satin base coat to the concrete. Begin by spreading the paint along the edges of the wall with a paintbrush, using broad, even strokes, called "cutting in." Add the paint to the rest of the wall with a paint roller. Put on the paint in a small section along the bottom of the wall that measures about three feet square. After finishing the first section, move up to the wall above it, continuing until you reach the ceiling. At that point, roll over the entire section from floor to ceiling to remove marks from the roller, and then move onto the next section. Allow the paint to dry for 6 hours.
- 4). Spread a second coat of the satin base coat to the wall, using the same process you used for the first base coat. Allow the second coat to dry for at least 24 hours.
- 5). Mix together two glazes that consists of one part water, one part un-tinted glaze and one part satin paint. When choosing the paint colors, choose two colors that are close in tone -- found on the same paint swatch, for example.
- 6). Add the glazes to the wall with two 1 foot long squiggly lines placed 6 inches apart. Use a separate 2 inch brush for each glaze, and work in an area that measures about 3 feet square.
- 7). Wad a piece of cheesecloth up in your hand, and gently rub the squiggly lines of paint glaze together, using a figure eight motion. If the cheesecloth becomes sticky because of the paint, rinse it off with water.
- 8). Dab the surface with a clean, damp cheesecloth to blend the colors more effectively.
- 9). Finish adding the paint glaze to the wall, using the same technique. Allow the wall to dry for at least 24 hours.
- 10
Paint the veins, or cracks, in the marble with white satin paint and a fine-pointed artist brush. Make the veins look authentic by stopping and starting at random spots and using zigzag patterns. Soften the edges of the veins by swiping a badger brush across them. Allow the veins to dry. - 11
Cover the wall with polyurethane, using a brush or a foam roller.
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