How I made a Faux Raised Stone Wall Border or Chair Rail

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Faux Raised Stone Wall Rail

How I made a Faux Raised Stone Wall Border or Chair Rail

After it was all finished

When redoing my kitchen I wanted to add a chair rail border midway on one wall. I wanted something different, not you usual wood rail. So I looked at the different raised stencils thinking that they might make a nice rail and thought about using flat painted borders but decided that they were not the effect I wanted.

It then came to mind to do something very different.
I created a faux solid stone rough rail 2” wide by a little less than ¼” thick.

Just the bare rail

I used a water based patching plaster compound (Spackling) to create this effect.
First I measured and marked ½ way down the wall, then measured and marked 2” below that.

For edge guides I used a cut cardboard box for my bottom edge and a yardstick for my upper edge, taping them to the wall as I needed them and removing them and replacing them as I went. This allowed the thickness to be a little less than a ¼”. Be sure to remove any spackling build up to the edge guides as you go either with a wet rag or a putty knife.

I used a putty knife to apply the spackling and then wetted the putty knife to swirl the spackling to the “stone” finish that suited me. If it got to dry as I was going I applied a bit of water to the top. You can also use the wet putty knife to define the top and bottom edges the way you want them. I have mine with a rougher uneven edge.

If any spackling gets where you don’t want it, use a wet rag to remove it while it is still wet and sanding can remove any that has dried. After applying the spackling I let it dry at least 24 hrs then sand any that might of gotten on the wall where it wasn’t wanted.

After it was all finished

Before applying the first base coat of paint make sure the spackling is completely dry (at least 24 hrs). I used the same color and type of paint (flat latex in bone white) as was used on the bottom portion of the wall for the first base paint. This covered any smudges of spackling that might of gotten on the bottom wall.

Next I allowed the base coat of paint to dry completely.

Using acrylic craft paint I mixed a color of flat dark sage for the second coat. This accented the colors in the rose floral wallpaper that was to go up and also the new curtains that I'd picked out for the kitchen. I applied this second coat of paint, covering most of the base paint, only allowing small amounts of the base to show through. Then I used metallic acrylic paints in silver and copper and pearlized acrylic paint in white satin, applying them in sweeps and swirls to give the rail more depths and accents.

Everyone says it turned out great and best of all I like it :-).

Sylvia Johnson