subject: Paint Ragging Off [print this page] Paint Ragging Off Paint Ragging Off
Negative ragging, or ragging off, includes painting a base coat on, letting it dry overnight, applying glaze with a roller, and removing the glaze with a rag, plastic baggy, cheesecloth, terry cloth towel, or some other similar material in order to create the desired look. Many people find that achieving their desired look is easier with ragging off than with ragging on. For best results, have a partner roll on the glaze while you pounce it off with a rag. If you don't have a partner to work with, make sure you roll just a small section so that the glaze doesn't dry before you have a chance to pounce it off.
Prep the room according to the instructions. Cut in and roll on a base coat and let it dry overnight.
Put on gloves, and combine the other paint and the glaze in a bucket and stir with a stir stick. (Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for their products for best results.) Pour some glaze into a roller tray.
Use a mini-roller to roll glaze on the wall from the corner and ceiling to the base, working in sections about 3 feet wide. Work from the ceiling to the floor. Leave the edges random and jagged you don't want a clean line.
Take your rag (plastic baggy, cheesecloth, terry cloth towel, or whatever material will give you your desired effect) and crumple it into a ball. Pounce the crumpled rag on top of the rolled-on glaze to remove some of the glaze. Turn the rag often to achieve a modeled look.
Repeat rolling the glaze on an adjacent 3-foot section of the wall. When you move to the next section, make sure to roll from the dry area ahead of you back toward the wet area you just completed, stopping about an inch short of the wet area.
Use a new, dry rag to pounce the current wet area, moving back to the previously completed area. Continue working toward the upper and lower unfinished corner of the wall until you've gone around the room.
Assess your work as you apply and rag off the glaze. Trying to manipulate the look after it dries can cause problems. If the area doesn't have enough glaze, let it become almost dry before you add more glaze and pounce it off again.
