How to do a Tissue Paper Faux Finish
The tissue paper faux finish is a great finish to do if you have walls with slight imperfections. Because you are actually adding a texture to the wall with the tissue paper it hides those imperfections and allows them to be a part of the beauty of the final finish.
It is so easy to do. Here are some simple step by step instructions:
1. Gather your materials
- White tissue paper
- Paint
- Glaze
- Wallpaper Paste
- Mini Roller
- Painter's Tape
- Drop Cloth
- Paint Tray
- and anything else you might need....
3. Prepare the tissue paper by tearing off all 4 sides of the paper so there are no straight lines. We are going for an organic ripped look on all the edges. Leave a few sheets with some straight edges for the ceiling & corner areas.
Then crumple the paper as much as you can and flatten out slightly. Do this to all of your paper so that you can be ready for the next step.
4. Apply the wallpaper paste to a 3 foot by 3 foot section of the wall with a small roller. You can also use paint as the glue.
5. Then the fun part - Apply the tissue paper (while the paste or paint is still wet) Start at the top corner of the ceiling and work your way down and across applying the paste and then papering until everything is done. Make sure there are no air pockets between the wall and the paper. Bubbles can cause trouble later. Start smoothing in the center and work your way out to the edges.
6. Wait 24 hours for the paper to completely dry and then base coat your walls with whatever color you choose (2 coats)
7. Once the paint is fully dry, you can begin glazing. You will want to use a darker glaze or even a stain and seal. Brush it on and then wash it in with a damp sponge. You may want to wash some off to reveal the color underneath. The glaze highlights the texture of the paper giving the wall a unique aged and distressed look.
Here are a couple nice examples of the tissue paper faux finish in action. It really does add a richness with both the texture and glaze and can be done in any color you choose.
You can also get creative by adding raised relief stencil designs as you can see in the picture at the top of the post.
