Going Grey: Three DIY Projects

 

 

There are several ways to go grey...

 

 

You can go grey young

 

 

 

You can go grey as you mature

 

 

or just testify before Congress!

 

 

Grey is having a moment. I like to think it's due to grey being a modern neutral and not that book 50 Shades of Stockholm Syndrome  Grey.  Our Faux Woe In-Box had 3 separate questions regarding different grey finishes.  One question was about a shiny grey that could hold up to a steamy bathroom (maybe it's steamy because they are reading that 50 Shades book in the tub?).  The 2nd question involved matching a linear wallpaper in silky sheen greys. And the final question referenced an old world type plaster in blue greys.

 

 

Finish One:  The Steamy Grey

 

Preparation is key in a wet room with no ventilation. Check the sub-straight  for bonding and signs of water problems like bubbled surfaces. These need to be repaired before base coating.  I use Setcoat as my base-any darker shade will do.

 



Trowel a layer of Stuco Lux Grey Skies 100%.

 

 



 

This will dry about 30-40% lighter. 

 Next pop in Putty Stuco Lux and more Grey Skies. Gently blade to mix the two.

 

 

This is what the wet half looks like compared to the dry side.

 

When the wall is all the same color, trowel on Stuco Lux Sealer.  This has a slight gold cast but you can tint with colorant if you want to kill some of the gold.

 



Let the sealer dry. You can polish at this point but I like to skip trowel in more of the Putty Color for depth. Then I use a rotary brush to polish.

 

Finished sample

 

 

Second Finish: The Woven Wallpaper.

 

 

Trowel a layer of Moonstone Grey Venetian Gem Plaster in a long stripe down your wall.

Then use a Bark Roller and roll vertically down the wall. I do this several times to break up the patters.  Surfaces has carried specialty rollers for over 3 years and this is the most versatile pattern.

 





 

When this is dry, thin Silver Stain & Seal and trowel tightly over the plaster. 

Use a cloth to soften chatter lines.

 

After the stain dries, tight trowel Queen Anne's Lace Lustersuede over the pattern

Again, use a cloth to soften chatter.

 

Finished Sample!

 

 

Third Finish: The Old World Plaster

 

Trowel a high/low coat of Nu'Villa Plaster in Pewter.

 

 

When this is dry, I tinted some O'Villa with Williamsburg Blue Stain & Seal.  I popped this over the base. I also popped in some O'Villa that I left untinted. Gently blend with trowel.

 

 



 

 

When the plaster is dry, brush on a glaze made with Dark Brown Faux Crème Color

and soften with a damp cloth.

 

 

And the finished Old World Blue-Grey Plaster

 

 

Here are the 3 shades of Grey I worked with for the finishes:

 

 

Only 47 more to go!