Tools and Materials

Tools

Materials

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How to Apply Sponge Painting to Walls

Painting walls with a sponge is a popular design choice for DIYers. Why paint your walls just one color when you can use sponge paint to layer two, three, four or more colors? With sponge painting, it's easy to transform your walls from basic to the center of attention.

Sponge painting uses a base coat, accent colors, glaze and a sponge to create a layered, textured look that's sure to add maximum drama with minimal effort. If you can paint a wall, you can sponge paint a wall.

Do You Need Glaze to Sponge Paint?

While you don't have to use a glaze when painting walls with a sponge, doing so adds a shiny finish to the topcoat and gives your wall the desired layers and textures.

What Kind of Paint Do You Need to Sponge Paint?

The best interior paint to use for sponge painting walls is acrylic-based latex paint, although alkyd paints can also be used. Choose a sheen based on the way you use the room. Flat or eggshell finishes are best for most situations; however, satin and semi-gloss finishes are more water-resistant and easier to clean.

Tip

Choosing the right color combination is essential for a successful outcome when you're painting using the sponging technique. For some expert advice on colors and the best interior paint to use, check out our article on How to Pick the Perfect Paint Color.

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Move anything you don't want to get paint on, such as table lamps, floor lamps, decorations, plants or books. Cover your floor and the remaining furniture with a drop cloth or tarp. Remove all outlet and light switch covers. Use painters tape to tape off any moulding, trim, outlets and light switches.

Caution

When removing outlet covers, turn the power off to the outlet at the breaker box and use a non-contact voltage tester to check the power is off.

Once the second coat of your base coat color has dried, mix your first top coat color with the glaze. The glaze tends to dry a little faster than normal paint, but adding a glaze extender will lengthen the drying process.

The more glaze you add, the lighter the top coat will be. The less glaze, the darker.

Tip

Try out different combinations on a sheet of poster board or another white surface to get the proper shade of the top coat.

Never use a dry sponge for sponge painting. Be sure to dampen your natural sea sponge with water before using it. Next, dip it into the top coat/glaze mixture. Wipe off the excess mixture with a rag.

Tip

A smaller sponge is easier to handle but will take longer. Anything larger than your hand, however, will be harder to control. Before you start sponging your wall, practice on a piece of wood, drywall or other hard, flat surface to perfect your sponging technique. You can also use this practice time to select the right-sized sponge. Once you're satisfied with the results, it's time to bring your walls to life.

Start in a corner of the wall. Lightly tap your sponge onto the wall in a random pattern. Don't press too hard. The goal is to leave a light coating of the glaze on the wall surface. To mix things up, try lightly rolling the sponge instead of tapping it. Be careful not to drag or slide the sponge across the wall.

Tip

Lift your sponge from the wall after every tap, overlapping your taps for a seamless finish. Smearing or pressing the sponge too long will result in a splotchy wall.

When there's no more paint on your sponge, dip it back into the glaze mixture and continue tapping until the wall is covered. If you find your glaze mixture is drying too quickly, mix in the recommended amount of glaze extender. Work in small sections for a consistent look, remembering to keep a wet edge as you go for a consistent, uniform look.

Tip

Rinse your sponge often to remove excess glaze so the pores don't fill up with paint.

How to Sponge Paint Walls