How to Paint an Antique Finish on Walls

With this project, you can add decades' worth of weathering to your walls in a day. Here's how to do it:

Materials and Tools:

water-based flat-finish interior wall paint (1 gallon covers 400 to 500 square feet)
1 quart water-based flat-finish interior wall paint
paint rollers and coversextendable paint rollers (optional, for tall walls and ceilings)
paintbrushes for water-based paint
paint trays
drop cloths or sheets
painter's tape

Steps:

1. Lay drop cloths or old sheets to protect flooring. Tape off the baseboards, trim, molding and outlets.

2. Apply a base coat of paint with paint rollers on the entire wall. Use brushes for the edges and smaller areas and an angled bristle brush for corners. Apply a second coat if necessary. Let dry.

3. Practice the antique faux-finish technique on a piece of drywall or sample board before starting on the walls. To create the antique faux finish, dip a small brush into the desired paint about halfway up the bristles. Wipe off all excess paint so that you have an almost-dry brush. Lightly apply up-and-down strokes. When satisfied, apply the technique to the walls. Let dry. If you'd like a more weathered look, repeat the technique in a left-to-right motion.