Painting a glitter wall is something that you can do easily with just a few simple tools and materials. An accent glitter wall will surely bring sparkle and shine to the interior of your house, perfect in a child’s room or a playroom, or as an accent wall. You will instantly give the room a unique look without investing too much time or energy.
While you can certainly buy glitter wall paint in the store, these paints are often expensive, and the color/glitter selection can be limited. That is why many people opt to DIY their glitter paint, and it is definitely easier than you may think.
So, how do you make glitter wall paint? You can make glitter wall paint by mixing specially formulated glitter additives with regular paint. Craft glitter will not last as long and will not shine as brightly.
Let’s take a look at some simple ways to DIY glitter paint and transform your home!
How To Make Glitter Paint For Walls
The most straightforward way to make glitter paint is to mix glitter with your paint. Sounds easy, right? Although this process may sound simple, there are a few things to consider so that you will increase your chance of success.
The first thing you need to know is that not every type of glitter can be added to paint. If you use craft glitter, the glitter will be dulled when mixed with paint, and you won’t be able to see any sparkles when your wall is painted.
Craft glitter can also dull over time, especially if it is exposed to sunlight, so even if you succeed in painting a glitter wall with craft glitter, the result may not last as long as you’d like.
Instead, you have to use glitter additives that are specially formulated for paint. Not only will this type of glitter be able to shine through the paint, but it will also make painting a lot easier.
Paint glitter is made for mixing with paint and will stay suspended in a can of paint for a long time without settling to the bottom. This will allow your glitter to be spread evenly across your wall.
In comparison, craft glitter will settle on the bottom of the paint can, and you will have to shake the can occasionally to get the glitter evenly on your roller or brush. When the craft glitter is dry, it is also prone to flaking off your wall, and the texture may not be desirable.
When you buy glitter paint additives, make sure to choose the right kind for your type of paint. If you have water-based paint, for example, you should buy the paint additive that works best with water-based paint. This will ensure that your glitter additive can shine through when you are finished painting.
If you use glitter paint additives, the glitter will stay attached to the wall without having to seal the paint layer with a sealant or glaze. This is a big plus as well since you will get a great result right after painting.
How Much Glitter To Add To A Gallon Of Paint
Most types of glitter additives have clear instructions on how much glitter you should add to a gallon of paint. Most types of additives recommend 100 g of glitter per 1 liter of paint, meaning about 13 oz of glitter per gallon of paint.
When you mix glitter with paint, make sure that your paint color is well-mixed first. It may help to do a test batch with a small amount of paint and glitter and paint a small swatch to see if you are happy with the glitter-to-paint ratio. Then, you can adjust the ratio accordingly.
If you have a big wall and a lot of paint, it may help to mix small batches of paint first. While glitter additives can resist settling in the paint, they can still happen if you leave the paint mixture alone for too long. Mixing a small batch of glitter paint at a time can help prevent the glitter from settling, which will help you achieve a more even coat.
If you have a mixer drill attachment, now is a good time to put it to use. While you can certainly mix the glitter additives with paint by hand, the key to a good glitter wall is the even spread of glitter, and mixing by hand may result in an uneven mix of paint and glitter, which will affect how the final product will look.
Using a mixer attachment with your electric drill is an easy way to mix paint at home, and it is especially useful when you are mixing glitter with paint. When you are finished mixing, make sure to mix it again occasionally, especially when the glitter has settled to the bottom of the can. This will ensure that you can achieve an even coat.
Other Ways to Create a Glitter Wall
As easy as it is, using a glitter additive may not always create the best look for your glitter wall. This is because mixing the glitter additive directly with the paint can sometimes still dull the glitter, and the result may not be as sparkly or impressive as you may like. This is especially a problem if you have dark paint and want your glitter to shine through.
While you can always opt for glittery wallpaper that you can use on walls and furniture, if your space or project is more complicated to cover, there are other ways to make glittery paint.
If you want your glitter to have a striking effect, there are some other ways you can create a glitter wall. Let’s take a look at two popular ways below.
1. Glaze Coat
Glaze is an acrylic solution that dries clear. It is essentially applying a layer of liquid plastic over your wall to protect it.
A clear glaze coat mixed with glitter is the best way to make a statement with your glitter wall. This method will require your wall to be already painted with the color of your choosing. Then, you can apply a glaze coat on top of the dry paint, which will add depth to the paint layer and allow the glitter to shine through.
This is also a great method if your wall is already painted with the color that you like. In this case, you only need to make sure that the wall is clean and dry before painting a clear glaze coat over it.
You can buy glaze coats that already have glitter mixed in, which is the easiest way to do this. If not, you can use a similar mixing method to mix glitter additives to your glaze and then use a brush or roller to apply the glaze onto your wall.
This glaze coat will allow your glitter wall to look very three-dimensional since the glitter will be able to pop against the painted wall background. The most impressive look is when you have dark color paint and silver glitter, which will result in a glitter wall that resembles the night sky.
This method is also very friendly to the home since you won’t have any problems painting over it later. If you decide that this look is no longer for you, then you can simply use water-based paint to cover the glaze layer, and it will be as good as new.
2. Blow Glitter On Wet Paint
This method is probably the most fun, and it will help you create a whimsical look on your glitter wall. This method won’t help you create an even coat of glitter on your wall, but you will be able to have fun with the process and create a unique effect on your accent wall.
This method is also very simple. You can paint your wall with the color that you want, and while the paint is still wet, you can blow some glitter on the wet paint, and it will stick to the paint. This method works best when the paint layer is thicker, and it will result in a textured, 3D look. However, this is also the messiest option.
This is a great way to achieve a glitter wall because it is very quick and easy, and it is definitely the best option if you only want to cover a small area with glitter paint. If you are painting your wall with several different colors, this method will also work well since you won’t have to mix many different colors of glitter paint.
If you are using this method, you can use either craft glitter or polyester glitter, which gives you more selection over the overall look of your glitter wall. Keep in mind that chunky glitter will be more difficult to blow, while smaller flakes can spread more evenly across a large area.
As we have mentioned above, glitter (especially craft glitter) is prone to flaking off when the paint is dry. To prevent this issue, you can use a sealer or glaze and apply an even coat over the dry glitter paint to seal the coat.
Keep in mind that craft glitter can sometimes bleed on the clear sealant. If you are using craft glitter, you will need to use a water-based glaze and test it first before applying it to your wall. If you are using polyester glitter, other types of glaze will work as well.
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