These are various Decorative finishing techniques explained to better help you choose your finish.

Aging and Antiquing - aging or antiquing is a faux painting technique used to simulate natural aging and wear and tear with the use of paint glazes, crackle glazes, bees wax, paper, hammers, sandpaper, or chains to distress and weather an object or surface. A distressed or aged look can make an object more comfortable to live with and more relaxing to look at. Antiquing can be used on many things from the kitchen cabinets, furniture, and decorative items like boxes. This faux painting technique matches very well with the French Country decor.

Aged Wall Plaster - this faux painting technique is used to create an Italian, "Old World", look to your decor. This faux painting effect can be accomplished on water based painted walls (paint must have some degree of sheen such as: eggshell, satin) or on lime washed walls. One or several scumble glazes (warm colors like: burnt umber, burnt sienna, raw sienna, and yellow ochre) are applied to create areas of light and dark. Other faux painting techniques like stippling, color washing, color rubbing, frottage, a faded mural, or faux exposed brick add to the illusion.

Basket Weave - faux painting technique in which a decorative pattern is made by using a dry brush to wipe off the glaze (oil-or water-based) in such a way that it resembles a basket. The weave can be applied in a wide, less controlled technique can used or a tighter, more controlled technique, to suit the decor. This interlocking, woven finish looks more at home in a in a country cottage rather than a contemporary setting.

Color Rubbing - is a faux painting technique done with scumble glazes (water based or oil based paint) and a cloth for rubbing. Glaze colors in shades of burnt sienna, raw sienna, and yellow ochre work well together. Keep your colors close in tone for a soft faux finish look.

Color Washing - a flexible faux painting technique which can be varied in appearance to the way in which the oil or latex paint is wiped off or on. You can use cheese cloth, brushes, or sponges for this finish. Color washing is great for walls that lack personality.

Combing - in this faux painting technique a comb is used to lift off areas of glaze from the base color. Several colors can be used. You can comb a color in one direction over the base coat, and then comb another color over top in a different direction, the last coat will be the dominant one. Do not apply the glazes too thickly, this will cause unwanted ridges along the edges of the combed design.

Crackle - a faux painting finish produced by using two varnishes having two different drying times which work against each other to produce a crazed, crackled, effect. The first coat of varnish is applied and left to dry. While the surface is still " tacky ", the second application of varnish is applied. Cracks should appear within 20 to 30 minutes. If a longer time is left in between applications (2-3 hours), then cracks will be smaller. If a shorter time is left between applications (1-1 1/2 hours), then cracks will be larger. You may wish to use crackle glaze as an aging patina or as a decorative finish. Timing depends greatly on drying conditions(heat and humidity).

Distressing - a faux painting technique used for simulating the effects of wear and tear on an on a newly painted object or surface.

dragging - a faux painting technique of pulling a long-haired brush through wet paint or glaze to produce a series of fine vertical lines. Useful for cabinets, doors and on furniture. This faux finish can be accomplished with equal amounts of oil paint, mineral spirits, and oil scumble glaze or with a watered based emulsion paint, acrylic scumble glaze, and water. The faux glaze can be applied by dragging cloth vertically (creates a broader, more dramatic stripe)or by dragging a brush vertically (creates a finer, silkier stripe).

Encaustic Paint – a paint made from pigment mixed with melted beeswax and/or resin, often applied to walls by means of a trowel in order to create a mottled or gradated effect of colors.

Floating Marble - also called fossil marble, this faux painting techniques is used on flat surfaces, such as a table or floor. The surface has to be horizontal because the mineral spirits (50% oil paint, 50% mineral spirits) used to create this finish would run down a vertical surface. Floating marble looks very good used as squares on a floor or as a border. An alternative faux painting technique uses water to disperse the oil color in a similar way to that used for marbling paper.