Sponging is a great way to provide warmth and depth to any room, creating a great backdrop for your room's overall decor. Sponge painting utilizes inexpensive materials and easy techniques, and can result in a professional looking job by even the most inexperienced painters. To sponge paint your walls and ceilings, follow these instructions.
Instructions
The Steps
1. Place your drop cloths over the floors and any furnishings that were too large to remove from the room. Use painters tape to cover anything you wish to protect, such as moldings, light fixtures, or windows. Prepare your walls by removing switch plates and other hardware, pulling out nails, spackling holes and sanding rough areas smooth. If you feel the need to prime your walls and ceiling, you may, though the variation of color after sponging makes it an unnecessary step.
2. Choose two colors of paint in eggshell, satin or semi-gloss finish. The colors should compliment each other or be similar in shade. One good option is to choose paint in one color, with one shade a step or two darker than the other. Another option is to choose shades close in hue, such as pink and lavender. In this case, the colors should have similar intensity.
3. Paint the room with the lighter color first. Begin by using a brush to paint edges, corners, and any unusually shaped areas such as arches or around window frames. Use the roller to apply the paint to the larger surfaces. If a lot of the paint is being absorbed by the wall so that it is very uneven, you may need a second coat. Allow the base coat to dry before proceeding.
4. Mix the darker color with glaze. To make it more translucent for a subtle blending of colors, use up to one part glaze to three parts paint. For a more pronounced look, use one part glaze to four to six parts paint. The less glaze you use, the deeper and richer the top color will be. If you want the sponged color to be very rich and dramatic, you can omit the glaze.
5. Pour the paint and glaze mixture (or straight paint, if you prefer) into a paint pan. Center the ladder in the middle of the room. Use one that is sturdy and that has a ledge or shelf to hold the paint and supplies. Spread a rag over the top rung for easy blotting, and place the paint tray on the ledge.
6. Wet the sea sponge in the sink and wring it out thoroughly. Carefully climb the ladder until you can easily reach the ceiling. Dab the sponge into the paint, and wipe the excess off the edge of the tray. Blot the sponge further by dabbing it on the towel you spread over the wrung.
7. Starting from the center of the ceiling and radiating outward, pat the paint onto the ceiling with the sponge. Twist it and move it slightly between each pat, slightly overlapping, in random designs. When you've covered as much area as you can comfortably reach, climb down, move the ladder, and work on another section. Each time you come down to resituate the ladder, take the opportunity to rinse the sponge in clear water and wring it out again. Continue this until the ceiling is covered, working almost to the edges and corners.
8. Begin sponging the walls, one wall at a time. Start each wall near the top of one corner, working downward on one section at a time, moving the sponge back and forth as you go along each section. Sponge the same way you did the ceiling, trying to match the style. Sponge almost all the way to the corners and edge between the wall and ceiling. Remember to periodically clean and wring the sponge.
9. After you have finished the walls, go back around the room, sponging into the edge between the wall and ceiling, and into the corners, connecting the patterns.
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