You know how you love the wallpaper boarder you put up… for a while. Then you just need a change. This client wanted to know about a technique to age your walls.
She had a good idea, but just didn’t know how to go about getting the effect of aged walls. She really wanted an aged look more like old porcelain.
Here is the question:
Hi, I love to try different faux finishes on my walls and floors, etc.
My question to you is: I have a wall border of a garden scene already on my wall and I want to make it looked aged, how do I crackle it and still be able to see the scene. Thank you very much for you time.
So, she had the right idea… the crackle effect on the wallpaper boarder would look great. Except… most crackle finishes require a painted base coat. That base coat would cover up her border scene.
What is the solution?
Hi… It’s hard to find crackle medium that you don’t have to use paint
first to achieve a crackle finish.
This one is great:
Distress Crackle Paint 1 Oz. Jar: Clear Rock Candy
The idea is that the crackling is Clear! Then you can softly glaze over
the cracks with a brown glaze and gently wipe off.
This will “age” the wallpaper and leave a darker color in the cracks.
Cool huh?
Click Here For more How to get aged walls paint ideas.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Debra,
Just wanted you to know how much I enjoy receiving email from you.
Got a question – I’m planning to redo my bathroom using an embossed
stencil design. To remove this later, I would need to install it using wallpaper
liner. Would it be possible for me to use my old wallpaper acting as a
liner to install my new design? It certainly would save some time and money.
The old wallpaper is vynl which was properly sized before installing. What
would I use over the old wallpaper before applying basecoat.
Jessica
I LIVE IN A HOUSE ABOUT 100 YEARS OLD AND MANY OF THE ROOMS HAD SEVERAL LAYERS OF WALLPAPER. THEY HELD UP JUST FINE. WE DIDIN’T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE LAYERS UNTIL WE REMOVED THEM TO REDO A ROOM. SO… I WOULDN’T HESITATE TO USE THE OLD WALL PAPER AS A LINER.
RIGHT NOW, IVE JUST PAINTED OVER SOME OLD BROWN WALL PAPER WITH BUTTERFLIES. I PAINTED A WHITE BASE COAT AND NOW IM DOING A SCENE. IT’S SOOOO FUN. THE SCENE ALMOST LOOKS LIKE NEW WALL PAPER!
Jessica, yes, you can use your old wallpaper if it is in good condition (no peeling, cracking, etc) and has been installed correctly. I don’t usually suggest painting over wallpaper, but in your case (wanting to save some money) you can get away with it.
The key, is to use a good primer/sealer. I would use bin or zinsser. You can then do your raised relief stencil right on top of the primed wallpaper.
The only thing you may run into when painting over the wallpaper is the seams may come up. If there are areas where you can see the seams coming up, you do not want to paint over it. Moisture from the paint can get under the seams and can cause problems. In this case, you will need to remove the existing wallpaper and start fresh.
Let us know how it goes, and send pictures!!
That Painter Lady, DAWN
Jerry, your painting project sounds great! Email us some pictures!!
i don’t recommend painting over wallpaper, but then most of my work is wallpaper removal. lol.. serious, I’ve seen lots and lots old looking wallpaper. In fact, tomorrow i am removing a entry way full of it.
I have a simple, inexpensive solution that I used to get that “aged”, “plastered”, Tuscan look – I simply took tissue paper, crinkled it up and glued it over my old wallpaper with wallpaper paste. Then I faux painted it and now have a beautiful kitchen and breakfast room. The tissue paper covers a host of impurities, including tears in the wallpaper or open seams.