When you think of the word faux, you often think of something high-end and complicated. As the name suggests, faux finishes, or faux panting as it’s also called, is the process of replicating a different surface using special decorative paints or stains. So, if you’re looking for your building to really stand out from the crowd, how about taking a look at this stunning alternative to painting your walls?

The history of faux finishes

Faux finishes have been around almost as long as civilization – with the first examples of faux finishes being linked back to the times of cave drawings. It wasn’t until the classic period, however, that faux paint took off in the forms of faux marble, faux wood, and trompe l’oeil murals. Back then, it was so highly regarded that it would take artists more than ten years to become a master faux painter. Fast forward to the 1980s and 90s; faux painting saw a revival when wallpaper started to fall out of fashion, which is why it’s classed as a leading decorative technique today.

How can faux finishes be used?

As we just mentioned, a faux finish is used to replicate the look of another material. These materials could be anything, from marble to wood and even stone. Next, unique techniques will be used based on the look you want to achieve. 

Faux finish paint techniques

For concrete faux finishes, whites, greys, and blacks will be added to the paint, and then it’ll be glazed over. If you’re looking for a wood look, graining is done using a special graining tool which is gently dragged down a wet/painted surface. The graining tool should also be rocked so that it mimics the natural grain of the wood you’re looking to replicate. Strie is a faux finish paint technique that creates soft streaks of color, which will then resemble a fabric. Then, you’ve got the likes of sponging, bricking, ragging and marbleizing. The list could go on forever, but if you take an in-depth look into the world of faux finish paint, you’ll see that a wide range of expensive materials can be replicated using faux paints.

Stain as a faux finish

If you’re looking to give your commercial building a fresh look, staining is an excellent alternative to faux paint. The thing with paint is that it takes a lot of maintenance to keep it looking good, whereas Nawkaw stains are developed with longevity in mind, backed by years of scientific research. Not only that, they’re environmentally friendly, nonhazardous, and can mimic the faux paint look you’re looking for.

If you’d like to know more about our products and the faux finish looks they can help you achieve, get in touch. We’re here to help.