Whether you're sprucing up your house for sale or just to clean things up a bit, it's easy to think of paint as just a medium for coloring the walls. But paint can be much more - a way to cover up minor flaws, add an interesting texture or even provide a decorative border.
One of the easiest ways to simultaneously add texture and color to a wall or ceiling is through the use of texture paint. Texture paints take a couple of different forms. The most common is paint to which a light texture medium has been added, such as sand or other very fine aggregate. There are also texture additives that can be mixed in with just about any standard latex or oil-base paint.
Texture paints are applied with a brush and a paint roller. Do not use spray equipment, as the fine aggregates in the paint can damage the equipment. First, a brush is used to paint the corners where the roller can't reach, a process called cutting-in. Use a 1 1/2" or 2" brush, and keep it wet with paint. Apply the paint to the corners with even strokes and avoid over-brushing, which will thin out the texture too much. Cut in the corners on one wall at a time, then paint the wall using a paint roller frame covered with a medium-nap roller cover. Roll on the paint in long, even strokes and watch the areas carefully as you paint to ensure a uniform appearance to the texture. Roll as close into the corners as possible to even out the cut-in done with the brush.
Another fairly common paint texturing technique is stippling, which uses the paint roller to actually create the texture. Stippling is best done with a fairly thick, oil-base paint - although latex paints will work as well - and a stipple roller cover. Stipple roller covers are similar to standard roller covers, but have a firmer, stiffer nap that stands up even when wet with paint. Some types of stipple rollers are actually covered with stiff, low-nap carpet.
Application is the same as for texture paint. Use a brush to cut in the corners, applying the paint in a heavy, wet layer. The walls are painted next using a standard roller frame covered with the stipple roller cover. Again, apply the paint in long, even strokes, overlapping the cut-in areas in the corners as much as possible. It's important that you paint in one direction and not overlap the previously painted areas too much, or the stipple texture left by the roller will be uneven. Stippling takes some practice, and you might want to start in a closet or other unobtrusive area.
For an interesting and inexpensive border around walls, windows and other areas, you might want to give stenciling a try. Many paint and craft stores sell pre-cut, reusable plastic stencils in a variety of patterns, such as leaves, ivy, flowers, etc. Simply place the stencil in the desired location on the wall and hold it in place with masking tape. Carefully apply paint to the open areas in the stencil using a small brush and light strokes. Avoid using heavy strokes of the brush or an excess amount of paint, which can work behind the stencil and either drip or cause the edges of the pattern to appear fuzzy.
Carefully remove the stencil and wipe off the excess wet paint with a rag. Reposition the stencil next to the previously painted area so the pattern lines up and continues accurately, then tape the pattern in place again and repeat the painting procedure. Continue moving, aligning and painting the stencil until the end of the wall is reached.
Another form of stenciling is the use of the stencil roller, available through some paint and craft stores. Stencil rollers have a raised pattern on a hard rubber roller, similar to a rubber stamp. The stencil roller is wet with paint in a small, flat-bottom paint tray so that the paint coats only the raised portion of the roller, then the stencil is carefully rolled along the wall to create the pattern. Each time you wet the roller with paint, care must be taken to align the roller with the previously painted area so that the pattern is continuous. Once again, it's best to practice on a piece of cardboard, or in an unobtrusive area.
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