Adding a fresh coat of paint can do wonders to revitalize your space. But if there's one painting technique we like to add that extra something, it's sponge painting!
Sponge painting is a coating application technique that gives interesting texture and appearance to surfaces. To perform the sponge painting process, a painted sponge is pressed onto the substrate. Paint, glaze, sponge and cleaning supplies are most of the accessories needed for sponge painting.
Sponge painting is very popular because it creates unique patterns compared to other coating techniques. The amount of paint applied varies with the surface area of the sponge. This creates an uneven layer. In addition, the appearance of sponge painting can be further altered by adjusting the amount of paint applied to the sponge and the pressure applied to the surface by the sponge.
Sponge painting is a quick, easy and beginner-friendly way to decorate by applying layers of color to your painted surface to add fantastic dimension and gradients to your interior. Learn how to achieve this creative and personalized look with this step-by-step guide to sponge painting.
Sponge Painting
As with all painting, choosing a room for this technique will help inform your color choices, making it a useful first step when planning your project. Sponge painting works in any room, although we like it for rooms that need a little lively sunlight exposure. It's also great for adding some fun and interest to nurseries and children's bedrooms.
The tools you’ll need for this project are:
Canvas drop cloths or newspaper (to protect the floor from paint)
Fairy liquid or your cleaning liquid of choice
Sandpaper
Paint roller and tray
Masking tape (also known as “painter’s tape”)
One large and one small natural sea sponge
Base paint (to cover the walls first)
Top coat paints (for sponge accents)
Glaze
DIY Painting Brush
The first step to preparing your walls for a base coat of paint is cleaning. It’s best to move any portable things out of the room and cover static furnishings with drop cloths before you start. Simply wipe down your walls with some Fairy liquid or other cleaning liquid. Once your surface is dry, you can move on to giving your walls a sand to improve the surface for painting. Don’t forget to wear a dust mask! Be sure to clear off any dust or debris before taping out the areas you don’t want painted.
Flat or eggshell finish paint in a colour of your choice is best suited for base coats. Remember that your base coat should be the darkest colour of your scheme, the paint used for sponging should be the lightest. If your walls are expected to need cleaning after daily use, choose a satin or semi-gloss finish for easy clean-up. If your wall needs extra coverage, wait for the first coat to dry before adding another layer. Add the paint to your paint tray and apply evenly with a paint roller.
Picking your colour blends is a creative and fun process that allows you to create a wide range of shades. The easiest types blends to use to use for sponge painting are gradient tones of a single colour, such as different shades of blue. Using different shades of the same colour helps to create a richness of depth. But vastly different shades can also add a fun dynamic to your space. This top colour will often become a shade lighter when it’s mixed with the glaze, so it’s worth keeping this in mind when choosing.
DIY Art Sponge Roller Brush
Once you’ve selected the colours of your top coat paint, mix it with glaze to give your mixture a more translucent effect for a soft result. The glaze also extends the drying time of the paint, giving you more flexibility to correct any application mistakes. Simply follow the guidelines on the tin to get the right mix of glaze to paint. For sponge painting, it’s generally around 4:1 glaze to paint ratio. You can test the texture on a piece of scrap cardboard to be sure.
Apply a layer of your paint mixture to your damp sea sponge. If you apply too much paint, give the sponge a few imprints on some scrap cardboard before applying to your walls. Starting from the corners of your wall, use a gentle bouncing or tapping motion. Having a light touch will help preserve the delicate imprint of the unique texture of your sponge. Remember to slightly change the angle of your sponge with each bounce, as this will help to make your application look more random and seamless.
Top tip: You can use a towel or scrap cardboard to blot your sponge as you work, but eventually your sponge will need to be rinsed out under a tap to clean the pores and keep your patterns crisp. Remember to wring it out thoroughly before resuming!
Children Painting Brush
Work in small areas before moving on to the next section. The goal is to build sheer layers of texture. Leaving the boundaries of these small areas looking jagged will help you to achieve a seamless appearance when you come back to blend them together.
As with any work of art, it’s useful to view your work from a distance to help you to assess and plan your next steps. Our decorating experts suggest that you give yourself plenty of time to walk around your space and take note of how your design works from every angle, also checking for any gaps or inconsistencies that can be corrected during your process. This will greatly improve your results as multiple perspectives can help you to perfectly balance your pattern and optimise it to suit every vantage point of your room.
Do take your time when painting. When it comes to sponging, the best method is to go slow and steady with light, sheer layers of texture.
Don’t use too much paint on your sponge, as this will lead to thick patches of paint with no detail.
Do randomise the angle of your sponge with each bouncing motion. This will help to make your texture patterns look balanced and natural.
Don’t forget to step back and observe your work as you go.
Alright! You now have all the information you need to become a master sponge painter. Don’t forget to keep this guide saved to help you while you prep for your masterpiece!
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