How to Create Flawless Metallic Painted Walls

Metallic painted walls can add a very modern look to a room that blends well with contemporary furnishings. It is also a unique decorating approach that can be quite eye-catching, as a metallic wall can actually serve as a focal point within a room. There are two general approaches to painting a metallic wall within a room: using faux painting techniques and using actual metallic paint.

Creating a Faux Metallic Finish

A faux metallic painted finish on a wall often has a deeper and richer appearance than simply using metallic paint alone. This painting technique is accomplished by first painting the walls with a standard latex paint. Then a metallic glaze is used over top to add depth and metallic shimmer. When using this technique, the underlying coat of latex paint must be chosen in a shade that complements the color of the metallic glaze. If you choose to use a gold metallic glaze, the base paint color should be tan, yellow or a golden shade. Copper metallic glazes should be used with a terra cotta or reddish undercoat, and silver glazes should be used with a gray base color. Using metallic glazes over colors that don't coordinate with the glaze color or over plain black or white will create undesirable effects.

To use this technique, first paint the wall with the base color, and allow it to dry completely. Then, use a foam roller of soft bristled brush to apply the metallic glaze. If you are working on a larger wall, you might need to apply the metallic glaze with a paint sprayer. However, metallic wall finishes often look best on small walls or even smaller areas of walls, so you might choose to try this technique for the first time on a small area. Glazes generally stay wet and workable for a longer period of time than do standard paint finishes, so you will have a little bit of extra time to achieve the metallic glaze effect that you desire. Just be sure that you don't over-work the area or continue to brush the glaze after it becomes too dry, or you will ruin the overall metallic effect. Try to work as quickly as possible when applying a metallic glaze. If you've never worked with glazes before, it can be helpful to practice on a piece of painted wallboard before attempting an actual wall in your home.

Creating Dramatic Effects with Metallic Paint

A less common method of creating painted metallic wall effects is to use an overall metallic paint base coat. This can add a very bold look, and is often best confined to small spaces. Metallic paints come in various shades, so you will have some options as to finished color. Metallic paints often require several coats in order to create good coverage, so it can help if you paint a flat paint base coat in a shade that is close to the color of the metallic paint first. When applying multiple coats of metallic paint, it is important to allow each coat to dry completely before applying the next coat.

Wait 24 hours for the paint to dry; then bring in beautiful contemporary copper art sculpture or a shimmering iron tree wall art that will positively glisten on your new metallic walls.