Concrete is an excellent canvas for faux finishing. Techniques like molding, texturing and hand-applied stains can turn concrete into faux stone, wood and even carpet.
For example, a warm grey concrete wallpaper with comforting golden pink undertones evokes an earthier style that pairs well with brown leather or wooden furniture and clean white textiles. Cooler grey concrete wallpapers offer a crisp finish that adds an industrial aesthetic.
Faux Concrete Wall Color Ideas
Concrete paint provides an easy, budget-friendly way to infuse a room with industrial design. It comes in a wide range of colors, including grays and warm browns. For the best results, choose a color that is close to what you see in real concrete.
Before you apply your faux concrete wall paint, sand the surface down to create an uneven texture that will better resemble the look of raw concrete. You also want to ensure the surface is damp, so the paint will adhere.
If you’re looking for a more realistic concrete look, consider painting walls or furniture with drywall mud, textured stone paint or even cement-look wallpaper. These options will give a more raw, textured finish and may better suit your interior design. Textured finishes fit right in with a trend forecast by WGSN called “hyper-texturality.” This style is all about creating a look that exaggerates veinings and textures in materials such as marble, wood and stone. You can get this look by applying a thicker brush to your grey concrete paint and stippling it on the wall in irregular, arched strokes before it dries.
Best Colors for Faux Concrete Walls
Concrete walls have a unique aesthetic that can add a modern touch to any home. While you can use paint to achieve the look, there are also concrete wall panels available that are lightweight, easy to install and come in a wide selection of colors. Whether you’re aiming for an industrial design or a simple, clean aesthetic, choosing the right color is crucial for creating the perfect faux concrete wall.
Faux concrete wall panels are made from polyurethane, allowing them to weigh about one pound per square foot, making them easier to transport and install than concrete blocks. They are also water-resistant, fireproof and insect-resistant. This makes them a great choice for commercial buildings, including hotels and community centers. These panels can be paired with wood-style accents to create a natural, organic look that’s ideal for rustic styles.
You can also paint drywall to look like concrete using textured stone paint, which offers more realistic rough texture and comes in a variety of finishes. This product is easy to apply and can be used indoors or outdoors, though it’s important to protect the finish with a clear sealer in high-moisture areas. If you’re looking for a more permanent solution, there are also molded concrete panels that are formed from polyurethane and are made to look like real concrete. These panels are incredibly durable and can be used in place of traditional concrete to save on construction time and costs.
Industrial Design Faux Concrete Colors
Concrete walls add a cool, industrial feel to any space. Whether you’re looking to create an airy modern look or something more industrial, the right concrete wall color can make all the difference. While there are many different concrete-look paints on the market, it is important to select a product that provides good coverage and can be wiped clean. Look for products with textured aggregates that mimic the appearance of real concrete and offer natural color variation similar to what you would see in a genuine stained or mottled concrete surface.
Fortunately, there’s now an easier way to get that industrial look in your home without breaking the bank or hiring a contractor. With new wallpaper technology, you can achieve a stylish concrete look in just a few hours.
Faux poured concrete finishes are becoming more popular than ever. Unlike traditional poured concrete, these lightweight panels are easy to install and provide the look of authentic concrete with the added benefit of durability. They’re ideal for high traffic areas like lobbies and hallways, and can even protect against moisture with their built-in rainscreen. These panels are also highly customizable and can take on a variety of appearances, including wood, brick, and even stone.
Faux Concrete Wall Color Finishes
If you want a concrete look without the cost and mess of real cement, there are several options for painting your walls. You can use concrete paint, concrete wallpaper or a concrete re-surfacer to transform walls and other surfaces in your home or business. All of these products create the appearance of concrete and offer a variety of texture options, but they may require extensive surface preparation or regular touch-ups to maintain their appearance over time.
A textured concrete wall coating like LOFT Raw Concrete is an easy-to-apply product that makes ordinary walls look gritty and realistic. The water-based formula dries to the touch in 30 minutes, but you must wait 24 hours for it to fully cure and harden. The textured finish can be used with any standard brush or roller, but a hand trowel works best for larger areas. To add depth, mix a small amount of slack lime with the concrete coating.
Using faux finishing techniques, you can also make concrete walls appear carved, etched or patterned. Stencils and tape can be used to create stenciled patterns on concrete walls or other materials, and hand-applied stains and dyes can replicate rock, stone, brick and marble finishes. Faux finishes are versatile, and they work on any wall surface including dry plaster, wood, drywall and ceramic.