Faux Finishing Techniques: Ragging Off

by Pat & Jackie Baxter

1. Apply desired base coat over properly prepared walls.
   
   
2. Apply glaze with a 3/8" nap roller. Roll 2 or 3 widths of your paint roller floor to ceiling. (Do not use a foam roller for this step).
   
   
3. Apply glaze as needed to corners and ceiling line, baseboard and trim with a paint brush, taking care to apply it heavy enough to prevent brush marks. Do not trim out the entire wall prior to rolling. Don't get too far ahead of yourself applying the glaze.
   
   
4. Remove glaze with crumpled cotton rags (ragging cloths, bed sheet material or t-shirt material), by dabbing or rolling randomly across the wall. Take care not to rag all the glaze off the wall. Keep a couple inches of glaze on the edge undisturbed. That glaze will stay wet longer and prevent lap marks. When you roll the next section, you will roll back in to that glaze. For other effects, plastic tarps, clear plastic bags, or other lint-free fabrics may be used to remove glaze from the wall. Avoid bags with writing on them. Ink on plastic bags will not break down when they get wet, but they often do when they are exposed to paint. Remember bags are not designed to paint with.
   
   Note: Metallics and White are not recommended for this technique because they dry too quickly.