In winter, when we’re stuck in our houses, instead of hanging around pool houses, many of us do some indoor painting. Some people repaint a room in its existing color, while others want a completely new look; then, there are those who go a bit further to add a whole different dimension of colors, patterns, and textures.
If you want a dramatic change, but feel that you don’t have the skills to do it yourself, or the money to hire someone else to do it, don’t worry. Almost anyone can create breath-taking decorative effects, by sponging, stippling, or rag-rolling.
All three of these procedures entail covering a dry base coat with a compatible glaze; but sponging is the only one for which you can use a quick-drying latex. For rag-rolling and stippling, which require partial removal of the applied glaze, slower-drying glazes must be used. In any case, the paint and glaze must both be either latex or oil-based; do not mix the two types.
You can buy ready-to-use glazes, or, for more color choices, make your own by simply diluting paint. For latex, mix three parts of water or latex extender with one part paint; to make the glaze translucent, make it four-to-one. With oil-based paint, blend equal parts of semi-gloss paint and solvent, then practice applying it on board, thinning it a little at a time, up to a two-to-one ratio, until you get the right combination. Mix the amount you’ll need for the entire job, to ensure uniformity of color.
When sponging, use only natural sponges, torn into workable pieces, to dab on the glaze, or glazes. If you’re using more than one color, apply the first, without overdoing it, over a dry base coat. With the second color, vary your technique, by dabbing, patting, or twisting the sponge to get different effects, replacing the sponges as they get saturated. Clean latex glazes off sponges with water, and oil-based glazes with mineral spirits.
If you’re stippling, apply an oil-based base coat, and let it dry. Next, apply the glaze with a wide brush or an applicator, and press the bristles of a coarse brush into the wet glaze. You can buy stippling brushes to give the base coat a freckled look, or use soft brushes for a dappled effect. Clean brushes with dry rags as needed.
Prepare the surface for rag-rolling the same way as you would for stippling, then roll wadded rags across the wet surface, replacing when saturated. You can use items such as gauze, old cotton sheets and t-shirts, burlap, and nylon netting, and experiment with them on your practice board.
You’ll be surprised how easily you can create fun new designs for your walls, even with limited painting skills. Once you accomplish this, try something even more impressive and build yourself a backyard pool house. Sure, you can do it!
At GazeboCreations.com, in a few easy steps, you can customize a beautiful pool house, selecting from tons of exciting options, including finished interiors, insulation, cupolas, decorative railings, skylights, insulated windows, shutters, sliding glass doors, and several colors of siding and trim.
If you don’t have pool, you can use your GazeboCreations.com pool house as an extra room, guesthouse, home office, entertainment room, or anything else that you wish, and enjoy it year-round.
To see the entire gallery of stunning pool houses, other backyard structures, and patio furniture, visit GazeboCreations.com. To contact a design consultant or customer service representative, call 1-888-293-2339, or e-mail cs@gazebocreations.com.