'Suede' effect painting blues.

**makka619** · 29th Jan 2007, 11:50 PM

So I hear that painting suede is a surprising simple task for the most unexperienced painters...

Enter me. I paint the gyprocked fireplace in Dulux Suede effect. First coat: half by brush, half by roller. Second coat: use a wide brush and paint in cross stroking fashion. Could not settle on the first couple of strokes, so I kept trying to get the effect to look right. I just had to keep fixing it until the paint dried on me.

The result: A splotchy uneven, untextured mess. I came close in one area, but the rest

Hmm can I sand Suede effect paint back part way to try again?

Wiser choice might be to get someone else to have a crack at it. Someone who is not as much of a perfectionist as I am.

**Stuart** · 30th Jan 2007, 12:58 AM

I have done 2 walls, and am very happy with the result. More importantly, so is SWMBO!

Don't sand it back!

Not sure why you did 1/2 by roller and 1/2 by brush, but such is life.

I cut in the edges with a brush, and rollered the rest. Then , once dry, do it again (a 2nd rolled coat). Let that dry. Then a apply the effect coat of crisscross.

So my suggestions are: Don't sand back etc. Let it dry and go for another coat. Crisscross away, but try not to rework areas - it doesn't rework well, as you discovered. Go from one corner, across and down, steadily and methodically. It covers ok, but not brilliantly (thus the 2 top coats I did). Still, what you have underneath will get covered pretty well. Go with a pretty good top coat - no runs definitely, but don't scrimp on the paint either.

Good luck.

**bunnings_girl** · 30th Jan 2007, 03:07 PM

ok seems like u have over painted it white this paint the more u try and be perfect at it the more mess u make, the less work the better it turns out, id be giving it another coat in the cross affect over the top and not sand it back, let us know how u go

**celeste** · 30th Jan 2007, 03:08 PM

Hi all

I had a professional do mine a while back and you should have seen the mess - 1 wall 10 lts of paint would you believe. looks good now - so I now you can just go over it again with the brush and fix it ( he did about 6 times - nightmare - he told me he had done it B4 -

)

He worked it to much trying to get an even colour - wrong

cut in
roll 1st coat
and criss cross 2nd coat - you only need to do this step.

I found this worked well - working in blocks (3-4 lines)

start at the top do a strip of approx. 600mm wide (3-4 brusch strokes)
working down in blocks with the 1st line on the next block lightly overlapping the last line. then do next strip lightly over lapping the last.

work fast, load the brush well, and do not be to fussy.
when the wall is finished stand back and look - lightly touch up any obvious variations. then leave.

It looks totally different when dry.

Celeste

**bunnings_girl** · 30th Jan 2007, 03:18 PM

10lts for one wall = a mess

from a pro painter as well i hope he didn tcharge u an arm and leg for his sloppness geez...

yeh slap it on and dont be so perfection about it

**Stuart** · 30th Jan 2007, 07:05 PM

Geez - I did a full feature wall (and not a small one at that) with about 3 1/2L, and it looks great - can't understand why a pro can't get it right!

**makka619** · 30th Jan 2007, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Stuart.

I have done 2 walls, and am very happy with the result. More importantly, so is SWMBO!

Don't sand it back!

Not sure why you did 1/2 by roller and 1/2 by brush, but such is life.

I cut in the edges with a brush, and rollered the rest. Then 1 coat of crisscross, rough and ready. Let that dry. Then a second coat of crisscross.

So my suggestions are: Don't sand back etc. Let it dry and go for another coat. Crisscross away, but try not to rework areas - it doesn't rework well, as you discovered. Go from one corner, across and down, steadily and methodically. It covers ok, but not brilliantly (thus the 2 top coats I did). Still, what you have underneath will get covered pretty well. Go with a pretty good top coat - no runs definitely, but don't scrimp on the paint either.

Good luck.

Here are pics of the botched job. Only half has the second coat applied before I gave up. You can see the small area that I sanded back (lightly)... Can I still fix it?

Pics (Don't Laugh):

<o></o>
I too don’t know why I painted half roller, half brush. lol. Well, I got the sample pot and started with a brush to see the colour, then I used a tiny roller and finished the sample pot. The pot ran out so I got another sample pot thinking it would be enough to finish the job. I used a brush to finish the small missed areas on the first coat. I know it sounds stupid, but I hope that helps explain it and I don’t sound like a total dork.
<o>
</o>My problems:

<o></o>
*I apply the paint with the wide brush for the second coat, and it doesn’t get much coverage. (Glad you brought that up.) That is part of the reason I kept painting areas, because a brush full of paint still left untouched spots in the area it was applied.
<o></o>
*I hated how messy it looked (very UN-suede like), so rushing in without thinking I began to sand a small area back, to see if I could fix it. Hope I haven't ruined it.

<o></o>
Though, I did take a trip to the hardware store, and asked the kid there his advice on fixing my botched job. I was bummed when I asked another guy for help and he said he was busy and sent this pimply faced kid who looks no more then 12 years old over. So I go ahead and see what he can tell me: Can a sandpaper it back? Doing such and such was that right? Was this brush the right size? Of course I didn’t get any answers, just round about spurts of mumbled words that would have been easier and more effectively replied with “I don’t know”.
<o></o>
FoRk, this kid obviously wouldn’t have had a clue, and he is very quiet and thinks a lot. This is why I don’t rely on paint stores (well stores that don’t only specialize in paint). They don’t hire people with any paint knowledge or experience. All they know is what shelf to look on to find the high gloss or the acrylic lmao.
<o></o>
Sorry for the rant, just had to get that off my chest.

**Stuart** · 30th Jan 2007, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by makka619

Here are pics of the botched job. Only half has the second coat applied before I gave up. You can see the small area that I sanded back (lightly)... Can I still fix it?

Yes - I'm sure you can, and without too much drama

I had another thought about my 2 walls, and I remembered that I didn't 'effect' the second coat - it was also rolled just to get a full 'even' colour without the original wall colour showing through. The first time I did it, I got a bit of MDF to test techniques etc, so that is what I would suggest is your next step. Paint a piece of MDF (600x400mm or so) in the same way as you have done the wall, including sanding part back etc, then apply 1 even rolled coat over the whole area, then do 1 suede effect coat (ie using that effect brush).

Then.....Let it dry. Give it a full day - it makes a huge difference to how it looks between if it is wet, or dry, and given how thick the paint is, and the deliberate sloppy technique used for the effect, it will dry unevenly. Wait till it is fully dry all over before making an assessment.

Now, with the effect layer: Don't load too much paint on the brush. This is that 'special' brush sold specifically for suede effect - about 6" across and 1" thick. You should only put on enough paint to do 1, maybe 2 strokes only. Don't try to repaint over the stroke - just keep going. You have enough undercoats to ensure the wall is the right colour, what you are now applying is the texture.

Each stroke should only be about 6-9" long. Do 1 stroke top-right to bottom-left, the next stroke top-left to bottom-right, and repeat slightly lower, allowing just a bit of overlap. Remember Karate Kid? Wipe on, wipe off? It is the same here.

So, to summarise.

1. practice on a piece of MDF. (you can duplicate a bit of your wall to convince yourself, but from the photos, I don't see any real issues)

2. Get 1 coat on evenly - cut in the edges with a brush, roll the rest. This paint doesn't cover well, so don't be surprised if you go through a bit - buy yourself a 4l tin, so you don't feel like you are trying to get what you have to cover too thinly. It doesn't cost that much, and in 5 years time, you'll like your wall, and won't remember the extra few $$.

3. ONCE DRY!! Do your suede effect layer with the special brush. Don't panic, don't look and think to fix it if it looks a bit uneven or wrong - it will because it is not dry. Do the whole wall, in one go. Don't get 2 people to do it - different techniques of different people will be obvious!

4. WAIT UNTIL DRY, then have a look, then breath a sigh of relief. Remember what you see, imperfections etc, are only things you know about, and in a few months, you will forget where they are too. It is an effect, and it is random uneveness by design.

5. Good luck, and take a pic when you are done!

**John99** · 30th Jan 2007, 10:19 PM

Hi makka619

I painted a couple of walls with it in the kids rooms wall size was about 3.5m by 2.7 high and I used 1 litre of paint on each wall.

I guess I was lucky when i went to get the paint a bloke at the hardware seen me looking at it and said pay no attention to what the can says.

He said paint both coats with a brush ( said it will save a heap of paint using a brush both coats) which he got for me maybe 100mm wide and was the type that you use for painting a paling fence with,fairly course bristles on it.

Seemed to be pretty easy to do, and turned out fine

I did try and paint , starting at the top going across the wall about half way and about a metre down then start at the top again on the other side, and a metre down.

Trick seemed to be keeping the criss cross stoke or arm action the same all the way along and down.

Good Luck

**celeste** · 31st Jan 2007, 03:37 PM

Hi all

The wall, the painter mucked up was in stone, so its quite a large bead in it - looks like that sany render and the colour is ruby red. I actually test run the colours in my old house and for a wall 1/2 the size I used 2 lt. he was trying to make it perfect.

Funny how people have different Ideas - I have 5 suede walls in my house and I chose to paint the feature wall with a base coat the same colour as the other walls and do the suede over that so some of the colour peeps thru.

makka 69 as you do not like the splotchy look I suggest you roll another coat over the whole lot and then while its still wet - lightly load your large brush and just lightly do some brush strokes over the wet paint.

Also, do you realise that the paint in a sample pot is not the same as in the 4lts etc it is a cheap paint - its just for you to check a colour.?

Here is a picture of my last wall

**celeste** · 31st Jan 2007, 03:47 PM

Hi all

Why do I always have problems down loading photos - I will try again

OK apparently its gone to my reno?

Celeste

**makka619** · 31st Jan 2007, 11:22 PM

Stuart: First of all thankyou!

New Question: Did I paint the first coat okay? If you look on the right side of the wall, that is just the first coat. Notice how white still pokes through (and it looks obviously uneven)? Should I be aiming to get it all covered so that it covers all of the white primer?

This is something I wasn't sure about. I sort of thought that might be how it was intended to look on the first coat and I might ruin the effect if I cover the whole wall as with a normal paint.

.... So, now that you are saying to get a even first coat... I guess that means it should have been thicker the first go? (or is that just to fix my crappola job) ... This would be good to know, if my question makes sense.

I have a piece of plaster board I could practice on, but I really don't feel like priming it.

Anyway, thanks again for your help. I will look for the proper brush and stop being a tight ass with the paint and get a 4L tin

John99: Good job on the kids walls!

Celeste: I think the wall would be dry by the time I go for the second coat. I know it's a small wall, but it seems to dry pretty quick and I am a slow painter.

Originally Posted by celeste

Also, do you realise that the paint in a sample pot is not the same as in the 4lts etc it is a cheap paint - its just for you to check a colour.?

I didn't know that! The guy that served me said it would probably work out cheaper if I just buy it in sample pots, for the fireplace as it is a small area. Good to know.... thanks.

**Stuart** · 1st Feb 2007, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by makka619

Stuart: First of all thankyou!

New Question: Did I paint the first coat okay? If you look on the right side of the wall, that is just the first coat. Notice how white still pokes through (and it looks obviously uneven)? Should I be aiming to get it all covered so that it covers all of the white primer?

This is something I wasn't sure about. I sort of thought that might be how it was intended to look on the first coat and I might ruin the effect if I cover the whole wall as with a normal paint.

First coat looks fine - I had the same issue with the white of the wall still showing through, which is why I rolled a second coat. The texture coat may have sufficient covering power, but I'd rather be able to concentrate on the texture layer just being that, and not worrying about whether I could still see the original wall colour or not.

It does mean that Celeste's point about the sample pot not being the quality paint isn't such a disaster for you - the sample pot made for a good first colour-covering layer. If you roll another coat over that first one, you should have a pretty good base to do the texture layer on.

Originally Posted by makka619

.... So, now that you are saying to get a even first coat... I guess that means it should have been thicker the first go? (or is that just to fix my crappola job) ... This would be good to know, if my question makes sense.

I'd rather do it the way that you have - 2 initial coats to cover the original wall colour, rather than 1 overly thick one. I know that deviates from the manufacturers instructions, but so-be-it.

Originally Posted by makka619

I have a piece of plaster board I could practice on, but I really don't feel like priming it.

Try it anyway - you won't care if the original colour is covered or not, and you don't need it to last forever, but it is useful to at least get a few practice strokes in so you are confident when doing the final coat on your wall.

Originally Posted by makka619

Anyway, thanks again for your help. I will look for the proper brush and stop being a tight ass with the paint and get a 4L tin

It is worth it - the actual brush is all of $5, and if you have plenty of paint then you won't compromise your technique as you get near the end of the job, trying to stretch what you have over too much area.

Stu.

**celeste** · 1st Feb 2007, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by makka619

Stuart: First of all thankyou!

New Question: Did I paint the first coat okay? If you look on the right side of the wall, that is just the first coat. Notice how white still pokes through (and it looks obviously uneven)? Should I be aiming to get it all covered so that it covers all of the white primer?

As you are using a dark suede I would have had the base coat tinted to a similiar ( a little lighter ) colour. As I understand it the base coat is supposed to peep thru - the mistake is trying to make it cover like normal paint. Thats what my painter was trying to do.

This is something I wasn't sure about. I sort of thought that might be how it was intended to look on the first coat and I might ruin the effect if I cover the whole wall as with a normal paint.

You do the 1st coat so its even, the 2nd coat is the effect - if you think about a piece of suede, even when it is laying flat the pile is in different directions giving you areas of light and dark - that's what you want.

.... So, now that you are saying to get a even first coat... I guess that means it should have been thicker the first go? (or is that just to fix my crappola job) ... This would be good to know, if my question makes sense.

My painter has done about 8 costs on that wall he stuffed up -
makka619 - roll on another coat get it even - then do the brush coat and I am sure it will be fine,

I have a piece of plaster board I could practice on, but I really don't feel like priming it.

Anyway, thanks again for your help. I will look for the proper brush and stop being a tight ass with the paint and get a 4L tin

Celeste: I think the wall would be dry by the time I go for the second coat. I know it's a small wall, but it seems to dry pretty quick and I am a slow painter.

Do as above.

**makka619** · 4th Feb 2007, 04:14 AM

Thanks Stuart and Celeste, you have been more then helpful.

Will post pics when I am done.

**Rodt68** · 30th Apr 2007, 08:58 AM

G'Day Everyone,

I had a go at this for the first time on the weekend and I must admit I found it dead easy to do. I rollered (12mm wool) the first coat and thought "Have I done this right" but then I did the second and final coat (crisscross) and it came up fine (well I think so anyway).

I went on the advice of some friends of mine who had done it and they said go all the way across the wall and then work your way back and so on and so on until you hit the floor.

I wasn't too careful about the finish as I was going along as I thought the effect was supposed to look splotchy and rough anyway

.

Even if I did muck it up I was doing it in one of the kid's rooms anyway so it was ok for a practice.

Good luck with it all.

Rod

**bpj1968** · 30th Apr 2007, 09:54 AM

THsi is a wall i did a few years ago. Only the bottom half has suede effects. 4 liters did a large bedroom and a study. I brushed both coats. My theory was that the suede look was caused by a combination of the sand and brush marks. I thought that having 2 layers of brush strokes, would make a more variable finish, and less likely to show changes in technique.

I painted top to bottom about 1/2 metre wide. Do each coat in one go, so you don't change technique and starting at the door, so if the start and end are differnet, it won't show up.

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'Suede' effect painting blues.

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