Anaglypta Experiences

[BigBill]

I wanted to share my experiences with putting up paintable wallpaper on the ceiling this past weekend. The room was originally the back porch of our old farm house. PO's had walled it in and it was in horrible condition. Everything had to be ripped out and replaced and new supports installed. The room measures 6 feet wide by 16 feet long with 10 foot walls and will be our laundry room. I purchased two rolls of paintable wallpaper in ceiling tin style from Lowe's along with some glue for pre-glued wallpaper. After snapping the first line to get the starting edge, the wallpaper went up pretty quickly. I had the help of a 16 year old nephew so that made things a whole lot faster. If I were going to do this by myself, I would have cut the wallpaper into squares and installed it like that. After placing the wallpaper in water I did apply a small amount of the glue. Since the room may be a little more humid than others, Ithought the additional glue would help. In most other rooms I don't think it would be necessary. There were a couple of seams that we did not get butted up excatly perfect. I went over these with a very small amount of caulk and they are invisible. I have been researching to find out how to faux paint it to make it appear as though it's a vintage tin ceiling. We had enough left to experiment with before doing the entire ceiling - IF it works out. Another experiment I tried last night was to paint the paper a base color, then used a darket color to lightly roll on just the raised part of the pattern. That looked pretty cool too. So if the tin does not work out we will try that and if that does not work we'll just paint it. The paper installed easier with a paint roller and small seam roller. It also stuck better if we waited about 5 - 10 minutes after the glue was applied. All in all it was an easy install that I think will look pretty good either painted of faux painted.

[pqtex]

Thanks for the post! That is EXACTLY what I have been wanting to do in my house. The info about cutting into smaller pieces and installing is good too. Did you apply it over drywall?

[BigBill]

Yes it's installed over sheetrock. We primed the sheet rock with kilz latex. Since we are only out there on weekends we let the kilz cure for a week. The pattern we chose could be easily cut in to squares that have nine of the patterns. The square would then be about 18 x 18 inches. I kinda wished I would have put it up like that because a person could push tin ceiling nails in the sheet rock and make it appear even more authenic.

[PowerMuffin]

I installed this too - in our kitchen. I glazed it with a bronze metalic glaze and it looks great. I thought it was quite an easy project, although it sure works your arms and shoulders keeping the wallpaper up there while you are smoothing it out.
Diane

[sooth]

To faux finish it in tin I'd apply a full coat in metallic silver, and then after that's dry, antique it by rubbing a black glaze onto it (to emphasize the details in the cracks and make it look like a bit of dirt). If you want to go a step further, you could selectively dot it with spots of dark reddish brown to make it look like tiny rust spots, as well as darken the colour towards the edges of the walls an corners (to simulate dirt in the harder to clean areas), etc.

If you want a darker colour, or a more dull/muted look (like galvanized/matte metal) you could start with a dark or light gray and then go over it with a silver glaze.

The possibilities with paint are pretty endless. You could probably find a dozen books at a library about faux finishes.

[pqtex]

...to emphasize the details in the cracks and make it look like a bit of dirt... If you want to go a step further, you could selectively dot it with spots of dark reddish brown to make it look like tiny rust spots, as well as darken the colour towards the edges of the walls an corners (to simulate dirt in the harder to clean areas), etc.

I'm chuckling over this because if I'd had an original pressed tin ceiling, I can't imagine my great-grandmother installing it to look aged...or ever letting it get dirty or rusty! I have her broom with a 10' handle that she used to sweep the ceilings! I think antiqued or metallic faux finishes can look very nice, but I don't think they have to look rusty or dirty.

[sooth]

I always prefer certain details to look old. I would definitely not want a shiny metallic ceiling. It would remind me of a creepy motel with a mirror over the bed.

[BigBill]

I guess it depends on whatever look one is going for. Since we are using old distressed cabinets and decorating with vintage stuff in the room, we are going to make the ceiling look old as well. This house is almost 100 years old so I don't think a shiny new looking ceiling would look that good. It is a well used farm house and we are going for the look of well lived in. Thanx for the tips on the ceiling paint. We have been trying different things so we'll add that to the list to try !...

[pqtex]

I wouldn't want a shiny metal finish either, but I think there is a difference between being "antiqued" and purposefully creating a surface that looks "dirty and rusty". However you choose to finish, I do like the anaglypta pattern you picked. I've seen several different ones I like that look like the old-fashioned tin.

[Theresa]

This is Anaglypta with one coat of latex, one coat of copper acrylic, and then buffed with black paste shoe polish.