Faux Finishing the Facade

Ta-da!!  A paint finish has been approved for the facade!  We have decided to proceed with a distressed look with an off-white as the main color.  The secondary colors will be a mossy green and a burnt sienna red.  First applied is the the red, second the green, and third the off-white.  The red and green paints are in a matte sheen because the flatter the color, the easier the next coat of paint will stick.  Have you ever wondered why primer is in a flat matte sheen?  There is your answer.  The off-white is in a semi-gloss because the glossier the paint, the more durable it is.  Glossy paints also have more depth and are easily cleanable.  I rarely use a hi-gloss in my designs.  There are some projects in which a hi-gloss paint would be appropriate (some furniture can look very beautiful in a hi-gloss paint).  I find that it has a very plastic appearance and with mill work I like to stick with a semi-gloss.  With a semi-gloss you get the durability and washability without the plastic look.

Once all the paints are applied I use a combination of sanding (by hand with 180 grit as well as with an orbital sander) and denatured alcohol on a cotton rag to rub back the top coat of paint and reveal the paints underneath.  (CAUTION!!!  Make sure to wear proper chemical resistant gloves and goggles when handling denatured alcohol.  Please make sure to fully understand how to safely use and discard of the above chemical before handling.)  This will give the appearance of wear and tear as though the facade was original to the building.  When utilizing this technique make sure to distress the paint the heaviest where it would naturally wear,  high points, corners, and areas that would be touched often (for example: around doorknobs, locks and close to the floor).  Also make sure to distress in an uneven manner.  The more inconsistent the finish, the more natural it will appear.

After the distressing is finished I will mix together an acrylic burnt sienna and raw umber together with a glaze and apply it using a paint brush and roller and will use a damp rag to manipulate the surface.  This custom glaze will give the paint an even older appearance as well as more depth.

Below is the approved sample leaning against the primed facade.
Tomorrow the painting begins......check back soon for the finished results!