The rough textured walls that have become increasingly popular in recent years are produced with what is known as "plastic paint." Ordinarily this is sold under various trade names in the form of a white powder. Only water and color need to be added. The mixture is applied with a large brush, and while it still is tacky the texture is developed.

Fig. 26. - Before being added to the plastic paint, the tinting color is mixed into a paste with water.

Perhaps the best way to learn to use this remarkable finishing material is to buy a 10-lb. package and practice on a piece of wall board. Usually a booklet of instructions is furnished with the paint.

In experimenting with the paint, follow directions exactly. First, clean the surface thoroughly and apply a coat of size. The size comes in powdered form separate from the plastic paint and is mixed with water. The size should be allowed to dry for at least six hours.

Later, when doing an entire room, use pails for mixing the plastic paint, but for the test job a kitchen mixing bowl will serve. The proportions of the mix will probably be about one pint of water to one pound of plastic paint. This usually gives a consistency of heavy cream. Next, mix the tint in a separate pan. If, for example, you have decided on a buff color and a rough texture adapted from Spanish style architecture, use dry yellow ochre mixed with water to the consistency of a paste. Add the color to the plastic paint and stir the whole until the color is evenly distributed (Fig. 26). The plastic paint comes out a very little lighter on the walls than in the paint, and this must be allowed for.

Fig. 27. - The Spanish texture is obtained by stroking the wet paint with the bowl of a common kitchen spoon.

For applying the paint, use a Dutch kalsomine brush and lay the material on from 1/16 to 1/8 in. thick. When it begins to "set up" slightly, try the development of the Spanish texture. The tool to use is an ordinary kitchen spoon, and all that is required is to move the back of the spoon across the paint in short, partially curved strokes (Fig. 27).

It is now necessary only to repeat the performance on the walls and to observe the one extra precaution of mixing 4-in. wall brush produce the so-called enough material to cover the entire wall area. If two or more batches have to be mixed, it will be difficult to match the color exactly.

Fig. 28. - Semicircular sweeps of a "monastic" texture.

If you are decorating over a painted wall it is not necessary to apply a coat of size; but where the paint is scaling or loose, it must be scraped off. Small crevices may be filled with a thick mixture of the plastic paint and then sandpapered.

Fig. 29. - The Italian texture, which is copied after a finish found in many fine old Roman villas.

For the ceilings what is called a "monastic" texture is excellent. This is similar to wall finishes often found in old monasteries. Yellow ochre, only this time less of it, can be used to tint the paint a cream color. Again make a test panel so as to be sure of your ability to reproduce the texture before starting on the ceiling. Incidentally, this method of practicing on a panel is the way of "making sure you're right before going ahead."

For reproducing the monastic texture, a 4-in. wall brush is worked in short, semicircular sweeps so that one brush sweep crosses another or starts out from it (Fig. 28). Actually, the brushing can be called "at random"; the entire surface virtually is covered with brush marks.

In order to get the best effect, go over walls and ceilings, after they are thoroughly dry, with a piece of sandpaper to soften the welts that seem too sharp. And to make the finish more washable, give the walls and ceiling a coat of size

Fig. 30. - Developing a Colonial stipple finish. The brush is known as a painter's "stippling block.".

The finished appearance is practically certain to exceed your anticipations. The walls and ceilings will be of different but harmonious tints. The rough textures will break up the light waves and diffuse a soft glow through the room. And the furniture will have an interesting and effective background.

The possible textures are almost unlimited. Indeed, the handbooks distributed by the various manufacturers of plastic paints usually give directions for a large number.

Two of the most popular are the Italian texture, copied after old Roman finishes and shown in Fig. 29, and the Colonial stipple finish illustrated in Fig. 30.