Back in Black: 2 DIY Finishes

Happy Halloween. This is my Broken Doll costume I wore to work today. I am sad because my house looks haunted and my ceiling is still not done!

In fact, today I finished staining and waxing the last of (all 300+) ceiling planks! Since I am crabby and more then sick from eating all the candy we have at the front of studio I am posting these DIY's projects pretty quickly.

Let's start with a high-low coat of Faux Effects' Midnight Stuco Lux over Black Setcoat. Do not trowel this too heavy or you will get spider cracks when it dries.  A gallon of Stuco Lux covers about 200-250 square feet.

Next mix 1 part FE Aquawax to 1 part FE Old Bronze Metal Glow. Also mix 1 part Aquawax to 1 part Wheat Metal Glow. A gallon of Aquawax applied in a tight skim should cover 400 square feet.  This mix will look cloudy when wet but will dry true to the metallic colors.

Mix 2 parts FX Thinner + 1/2 part Ebony Stain & Seal + 1/2 part Van Dyke Stain & Seal. Brush this over the surface and soften with a cloth or terry towel.  I like stain over wax or palette deco because it bites in a little bit better over the slick surface. Any tinted glaze will bead up over wax or palette deco which makes glazing these two surfaces easy. Don't worry, the glaze layer will stick when it is dry.

What an easy finish! You could also use Palette Deco Black or Venetian Gem Black Onyx as your base.

And speaking of Palette Deco Black....

Let's roll a coat over Black Setcoat.  While this is wet, take a piece of cheesecloth that you have opened up and stick it into the wet plaster.

Tight trowel more Palette Deco Black over the cheesecloth. You want to see the weave underneath.

Pull the cheesecloth and roll you next section lapping areas slightly.  I will reuse my cheesecloth a few times and then toss it in a bucket of water to wash later.  Don't worry about lap lines-we will deal with those later.

When the first layer is dry, I pop in some Faux Effect's Aquasize in random connected areas using my trowel. 

The size will fog and then go shiny clear.

Place more cheesecloth over the shiny size and tight trowel more Palette Deco Black. I alternate between spotting in more "skin" and just spotting in Palette Deco-easy way to hide lap lines!

Mix 1 part FX thinner + 1 part Metallic Gold Stain & Seal. Mix 1 part FX Thinner + 1 part Metallic Bronze Stain & Seal. Brush these two colors on at the same time and use a damp cloth to rub into your pattern. Use a dry cloth to pad over the top to soften the lap lines.

Another super easy finish!

Hope you guys have a safe Halloween with lots of candy-seriously-come to Surfaces and eat this stuff before I do!

Our costumes for a Halloween Party last weekend. All Remodel and No Play Make Mr. & Ms. Surface's Nuts! I hope Bruce wears this when our project is over-Mr.Clean indeed.