Wave Wall Texture in Plaster and Paint

By Gregg Hicks

Putting texture on a plain wall can add a little personality to an entire room. Whether it is wave wall texture, circular wall texture, or any other type of texture you can think of, adding a little excitement to the walls in your bedroom, bathroom, or den will bring a lot of style and uniqueness to the entire room. There are several steps to deciding what type of wall texture you want and whether or not a certain wall texture is right for a particular room. There are also a lot of things to know about how to correctly apply a plaster or paint wall texture.

A wave wall texture can be done in either paint or in plaster. The plaster version of this texture goes onto the drywall and is fairly difficult to do correctly. Luckily, you will have some opportunities to correct any mistakes you may have made while the plaster is still wet. You will want to make sure that the amount of plaster you apply is not too heavy - too heavy of a layer of plaster will make the wall look bulky rather than textured. And if the plaster is too thick, the texture won't look good once it is painted later on. Also, use the correct tools to create the wave wall texture in the plaster. A comb-like tool will make creating curves and waves in the wall easier.

If you want to do your wave wall texture in paint, you will need to pick a few different colors of paint to create the feeling of waves. Most people choose to use a variety of blues to create painted wave like look. The painting can be done over the plaster wall texture. However, keep in mind that using more than one texture on one wall can be overwhelming. Having more than one wall texture on all four walls in a room will definitely be overwhelming, and can even look tacky. So consider which type of texture you want to use before you start your wall texturing project.
This article was written by Gregg Hicks of http://www.reliableremodeler.com which provides Internet-based home improvement information and services. Offering homeowners a simple, quick, and free way to access, qualified home improvement remodeling contractors.
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Wall Paints - Various Colors, Textures, and Patterns

By Barbara Tobiasz

The earliest appearance of paint was approximately thirty thousand years ago. There are still some caves today where graphics and pictures can be found that were drawn using paint. Color has fascinated cultures throughout history. Some cultures used colors for healing purposes.

Paint is made up of a pigment, a binder to hold it together and with thinners it makes paint easy to apply. We use paint to help preserve, decorate and add function by covering a surface with a protective coating.

Before the nineteenth century, the word paint only applied to oil bound types. Those that were bond by glue were called distemper. The first synthetic dye was discovered in eighteen fifty-six and was produced inexpensively. It was during this time frame that linseed oil began being mass produced. By eighteen eighty, Sherwin Williams produced and marketed paints in tins in a wide range of colors. With their success, the paint was exported all over the world.

Americans have been practicing the green revolution for a long time. They started having concerns around nineteen fifty regarding what chemicals and solvents were being put in paint. In nineteen seventy lead and mercury was outlawed and could not be used in the manufacturing of paint. A major difference in modern wall paints is the change from linseed oil to alkyd oil which is generally derived from soybeans. The use of synthetic resins such as acrylics and epoxies have become prevalent in the last thirty years.

Wall paints are the easiest and least expensive way to change the entire look and feel of a room. Your stark cold walls can be transformed into a sophisticated ambience of color and texture. It seems to breathe new life into the room with harmony and design.

Scientists have proclaimed that color affects us psychologically and certain paint colors provide either a cooling effect while other colors give us a sense of warmth. Some warm colors are orange, red and pink, while blues, greens and violets are thought to be cool colors.

Choosing just the right color and finish can be confusing and challenging. Here is a color and finish vocabulary to help you figure it out:

• Hue- The base of a color. Lighter or darker variations are still the same hue.
• Value- The lightness or darkness of a color.
• Shades- Colors with values closet to black, the darker reds and so forth.
• Tints- Colors with values closet to white, the lighter blues and so forth.
• Tone- A color's intensity brightness or dullness.
• Flat Paint - Is the standard paint for walls and has the lowest sheen available.
• Satin Paint - Has a slight sheen and is easier to clean then flat paint.
• Semi-Gloss Paint - Is highly durable and easy to clean. Great for kitchens, bathrooms and children's rooms.
• Gloss Paint - Has a high sheen and is used in areas that are susceptible to getting dirty. This is great for doors and door frames.

Paint can also be mixed with a glaze to create various textures and patterns. This process is referred to as faux finish and is quite popular with home owners and interior designers. Washes are simply latex paint that has been thinned with water to produce color that is more delicate then that of a glaze. Washes also show brush marks which add depth and texture to your surface. There are other techniques that create unique charm and characteristics such as sponging, stippling, rag-rolling and color blocking.

Your first step before actually painting should be to take measurements of the area and calculate the amount of paint you will need. Then prepare your walls for painting. Patch all holes and allow spackling to completely dry. You must also remove any loose paint and sand uneven edges.

Please don't forget to cover the furniture and floor and remove light switch and outlet covers. A primer may be needed if your walls are new or show a lot of damage. You should also seek assistance from your home improvement store. They deal with this daily and can offer valuable advice.

It is best to take small steps and before too long you will feel like a professional and show off your technique on every wall in your home. At the end of the day as you look around you will be amazed at how a little color, texture and pattern will change your world.

Barbara Tobiasz is an expert in interior/exterior decorating. Along with her husband Joe, they own and operate Wall-Decor-Concepts.com. For more information on Wall Paints, go to: http://www.Wall-Decor-Concepts.com
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