Faux Finishing Techniques: Ragging

by Pat & Jackie Baxter

1. Apply desired base coat over properly prepared walls.
   
   
2. Cut rags into 12 or 15 inch squares. (Cotton bed sheets work well. T-shirt material works only if you have enough of the same fabric. Two different shirts may give you two different looks.)
   
   
3. Squeeze glaze directly onto rag, working glaze through the rag until saturated but not dripping.
   
   
4. Crumple your rag and roll randomly across your wall. Work in small 1-2 foot sections.
   
   
5. While still wet and workable, take a damp natural wool sea sponge and blot what you have just ragged to soften the effect. By using the sponge, your ragging will stay more consistent. The sponge will camouflage fingerprints, heavy or light spots and streaks from your rag slipping.
   
   
6. Corners should be done by running 2" painters tape down the wall you are not ragging. Use the tape to your advantage. Rest your rag on the tape and press your rat into the corner, rotating rag occasionally to prevent a polka-dot effect. After the corner section is done, continue with the wall.
   
   TIP: If walls are done first you may have too much of an overlap in the corner area when you do try to rag your corner.
   
   
7. Remove tape and let dry while you move on to the wall on the opposite side of the room.
   
   
8. Now come back and apply tape to the corner of the wall you previously finished when it is dry. Rag the unfinished wall as you did the others.
   
   
9. Remove tape and if you need to apply more glaze to the corner, do so with a lightly loaded chip brush. Apply glaze sparingly, by dabbing the corner in random spots with the chip brush.