Faux Leather Painted Finishes
How to Paint
Faux Leather Finishes
faux burgandy red leather finish
Tools & Materials:
  • 2" latex brush (used in lieu of the Stippler in small narrow areas)
  • Cotton rags
  • Roller, roller grid, and 5 gallon bucket or roller pan
  • Short nap roller cover (1/4")

Base Coat / Glaze:
Click here to see Universal Surface Preparation Rules:
Faux leather finishes are achieved by using bright base coat colors and using a deep, dark (or even black) glaze over the top of these bright base  coat colors.

Below are  the base coat colors and glaze colors for doing: red, green, blue and brown leather finishes.
Base coat
Glaze color
Technique:
In essence, the leather faux-finishes are negative ragging finishes that are softened with a block stippler. The base coats are usually bright colors, and the glaze/paint colors are very dark hues of the base coat color (or just plain black). Read the instructions for  Negative Ragging. 

Working in standard four by four-foot sections, and starting at one end of the wall, you will work from one end of the wall toward the other end. Start by rolling the glaze/paint mix onto a four by four-foot section of wall, using a short nap roller.

Next, rag off the glaze in the usual negative ragging method. Follow this up by softening the ragging with a block stippler, stippling the surface in a random manner. Do not stipple the whole surface uniformly—just a little here and there to randomly soften the ragging.

Repeat the above steps until the wall is completed. 

Note: This is a negative technique so you must work from one end of the wall to the other without stopping or you will get lap marks.

Use the alternate wall sequencing for this technique, taping off the adjacent walls with paper tape when dry.
Base coat paint and glazing paint.

I use an eggshell sheen latex base coat with an oil glaze over the top. This system takes advantage of the quick-drying latex base coat, which allows for same day glazing. The oil glaze will give you longer working time and will not re-wet the freshly dried latex base coat. Sherwin Williams Promar 200 eggshell latex paint works well as a base coat.

Use an oil glaze with an oil satin paint (Promar 200 oil eggshell will work). Mix about one part paint to one part glaze, and thin with about one-half to one part mineral spirits (often the mix will be about one part paint, one part glaze and one-half part mineral spirits—but add the thinner a little at a time until it is the right viscosity, and avoid over-thinning).

Can you use a latex glaze with this technique?

Yes, but allow overnight drying (at least) of the eggshell sheen base coat before glazing. There is the possibility of the latex glaze re-wetting the latex base coat, causing the glaze to set too quickly and/or a meshing of the two together if you don't allow enough drying time between base coat and glazing. If you can, wait a couple of days for the base coat to dry/cure, that will go a long way in prevent any re-wetting of the base coat.  

You can do this technique with Modern Masters Latex Extender.  Add one part satin latex paint to four parts extender. Modern Masters Latex Extender has a lot of open time.
faux painting green leather
faux blue leather technique
medium brown faux leather painting technique
Another technique known as "Frottage" (French "to rub") is used to create faux leather. With this method, sheets of plastic are placed on the wet glaze, smoothed down and then pulled off, leaving a creased and mottled "leather" appearance.

With this method, you will base coat and glaze as instructed previously, working in four by four-foot sections. Instead of ragging the glaze and stippling it, you will place a sheet of plastic onto the wet glaze, manipulate it with your hands to "wrinkle" it (while on the wall), and then pull it off.

Technique
  • Apply your glaze to a four by four-foot section of wall
  • Lay plastic sheeting on wall and manipulate the plastic while on the wall by pushing  it around to create a crumpled and wrinkled appearance.  The plastic will cling to the wet glaze, keeping it on the wall as you manipulate the plastic.
  • Smooth  the plastic down with a soft wallpaper smoother.  Don’t try to smooth out all the air bubbles and wrinkles - that is part of the "look".
  • Remove the plastic sheet from the wall.
  • Follow up with an crumpled piece of (inked) plastic, dabbing it on the surface to break up any harsh lines and to soften the overall look.
  • Move on to the next four by four-foot section and repeat.

Notes: 
  • Use thin drop cloth plastic.  The thinner the plastic, the easier it is to manipulate. 
  • You can use fabrics or burlap instead of plastic for a little different look.  
  • "Inking" is a term used to describe pre-wetting a removal "tool" (plastic in this case), which prevents it from removing too much glaze. 
Alternate Technique: (Frottage)
Green, Blue and Medium Brown Faux Leather Samples
faux red leather painted finish
Burgandy Red Faux Leather Finish
Our "terms of use" governs your use of our website; by using our website, you accept this disclaimer in full.  If you disagree with any part of our "terms of use", do not use our website.
The Internet Paint Store

"the right way to buy
paint supplies"

The-Internet-Paint-Store.com
Faux
Tools
click here
Search This Site
Custom Search
Bookmark and Share
The
Concourse eStore
SM
Painting Tips and Advice
Painting and Decorating Concourse
floggers, badger brushes,  woodgraining tools ...

The Internet Paint Store