Decorative Finishes

Decorative Finishes bring depth, character, and light play to walls, ceilings, cabinetry, and trim. This category covers the tools and supplies that help you create faux finishes, textured plasters, subtle glazes, metallic effects, limewash, chalky patinas, and more. Whether you are refreshing a feature wall or tackling a whole-home makeover, the right applicators shorten learning curves, improve consistency, and speed up production.

Core tools include specialty rollers and sleeves for broken-color effects, high-density and soft-bristle brushes for cutting clean edges and feathering glazes, natural and synthetic sponges for ragging and stippling, and steel or plastic trowels, floats, and hawks for Venetian plaster and Marmorino. You’ll also find combs and draggers for strié, flexible squeegees for smooth microcement layers, precision stencils for repeatable patterns, and HVLP or airless sprayers for fast, even coverage on large surfaces. Burnishers and polishing pads refine sheen and depth, while detail tools let you blend tight corners and trim profiles.

Surface preparation tools matter just as much. Dustless sanders, sanding sponges, and abrasives level substrates without clogging. Cleaners, deglossers, and bonding primers improve adhesion on drywall, plaster, wood, tile, and previously coated surfaces. Quality tapes, films, and drop cloths protect edges and floors. Clear coats and sealers lock in color, add scrub resistance, and control sheen from dead-flat to pearlescent.

Choose your kit based on substrate, room use, and finish type. Limewash excels on breathable surfaces; metallic paints brighten low-light areas; glazed color washes soften sharp transitions; decorative plasters add tactile depth that resists wear in high-traffic spaces. Check coverage rates, working time, and compatible topcoats. For eco goals, look for low-VOC, water-based systems.

Pro tip: build a sample board to dial in color, pressure, and tool sequence. Work under the lighting you’ll live with, maintain a wet edge, and note drying and cure times. Proper cleaning and storage of faux painting tools protects bristles, edges, and your next project.