Painting Contractors Hate Me For Showing You This!

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Tools and Materials Used for this Roman Clay Project:

Roman Clay is one of the hottest new interior design trends because, unlike paint, it can give your walls a high-end and natural feel while also giving the walls a smooth and unique texture.

After seeing various examples of Roman Clay, I was Intrigued.... and I decided to apply it to this accent wall in my home. This video is going to show you how to apply Roman Clay to any wall, step-by-step. But there are a few things that should be noted now:

1. Because Roman Clay is applied with a putty knife or a trowel, this technique can seem a bit intimidating to some. However, I promise you that the application is easier than you think and you don't need to pay a painting contractor an arm and a leg to apply it for you.

2. Roman clay is a bit more expensive and time consuming than simply painting your wall. If you are on a budget (from a TIME or MONEY perspecitive), than Roman Clay might not be for you.

3. I don't think that this applicaiton area did this project justice. Overall, I think that Roman Clay looks best when it is applied to a large area - not a small accent area like this. Therfore, I also applied Roman Clay to a half bathroom that I am remodeling and I will show that to you all in next week's video!

Thanks so much for watching and I hope to see you next week!

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🎥 MY YOUTUBE GEAR

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🛠🧰 TOOLS THAT I USE

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Thank you so much for watching!

*All content on the Andrew Thron Improvements YouTube channel reflects my own opinions. Please seek out guidance of professionally trained and licensed individuals before making any decisions. Links in the description may be affiliate links.

[solarlass]

I liked the color you chose to tie in to the stone of the fireplace.
I was expecting more dimension and texture.
Years ago I did a raging paint technique using two shades of beige on my largest kitchen wall. It gives the illusion of plaster walls. The bonus is it doesn't hold dust as what a textured wall would and it's easy to wash the wall. It just gives the wall the illusion of texture. It also hides imperfections. Also, when you're tired of it you just paint over it.

[badger]

Rather than a good Roman Clay job, it looks like a bad paint job. That being said, I REALLY enjoy your channel.

[commonsense]

I've used this (Venetian Plaster) as a faux finisher for 20 years at least. Lots of work with hands especially if you like the highly dry trowled glass like surface, or burnished look, also nice for using stencils for bas relief murals...you can order it in any colors too. I had a lovely hallway in two colors of beige with raised fern design, everyone loved it.

[jimjimgl]

I've used venetian plaster which I think might have more body than roman clay. It definitely takes more technique than painting a wall but most can get the hang of it after an hour or so. What is important to keep in mind for those new to the application is that often where you start applying and where you end the application might look a bit different because your skill set will improve as you go along. Another thing to keep in mind with this material is that once it gets a chip / stain / mark sometimes the coverup/fixed area will standout from the rest of the wall.

[patricksmith]

While I am not a fan of clay, I have to state the positives you have perhaps inadvertently addressed to their best. First of all you have a tremendous and beautiful stone fireplace dominating the room: Second, you have a ton of exposed timber throughout: Third, you now have tied it all together with 'mud' and the effect is commanding. You implied the color was not a favorite, but in the final rendition, it really shines. The TV is great there too, as long as it can swing around to where you are lounging on the sofa, probably half awake. :) :) This is not lipstick on a pig, its perfection.

[skypixie]

Did that 30 years ago.. fun and easy DIY 🎉

[davidcattin]

So, what's the point? It looks like you painted it. Roman clay and Venetian plaster are both traditional Italian plaster finishes. They are similar in that they are applied in LAYERS to create DEPTH and TEXTURE on walls. It looks like you made sure to NOT have either of these features. So, why not just paint? French wash is another option (more transparent) if you want a mottled texture-- you can sponge either blotting or spreading.

[TexasBeau]

Ok, it’s the mirror that threw me off. I thought you had a dead turtle on your wall! But then realized it was just reflecting the fireplace stone.😂

[SquawkandRollStudios]

My suggested corner fix would be to mask the joined wall vertically about 1/4 inch from corner. Get some grout that matches your rock grout and mud it into the corner. Smooth it with your finger. Pull your tape before the grout starts to set.

[BeMoreThanWhatYouBelieve]

Hey, I just wanna say im a 23 year old female builder in training, and your videos help me out tremendously when it comes to working on my craft. For that, I am thankful ❤ 🤲🏾 stay golden and with grace king 👑🌹

[JohnBarr-yszl]

The technique used is an advanced course in DIY, as is the tooling used.
I can assure you, both proper tooling and technique would yield differences results.
I have applied thousands of square feet of Roman Clay/Vanetian plaster and isn’t difficult but it is labor intensive, especially when burnished/polished properly

[dgoddard]

Painting contractor here and I don't hate him for showing you this. I actually love it.

A good portion of my business is fixing DIY stuff that went horribly wrong, and we get paid at a premium to do it.

Also, don't waste money on the primer if your walls are already painted... the previous paint coat just needs sanded with 150 grit and it becomes your prime layer. Another thing, if you are going to put this on, use a trowel, not a scraper (like this doofus). And buy some Ibuprofin since your wrists are going to kill you for the next week or so.

[annedonofri]

Is Roman Clay a method that could be used to cover over old wallpaper? The walls were not prepped properly so it is impossible to remove without destroying the sheetrock under it. I like your programming because I am a horrible painter myself. 😊

[govindamparamanandam]

i find sanding so oppressive. that's the point I gave up coz I found myself covered up head to toe with fine dust despite covering self well. There must be an easier way around to it. Like attach a sanding drill bit. Because wrist pain is also a factor.

[MartinMaxFerdinand]

For works like this - use a tool called a Wide Scraper Double Blade.
It not only lets you cover a larger surface (so you work more time efficient), the double blade allows to adjust the hardness of the spatula for your own needs and purposes. It's a very versatile tool for smooth outcomes.

[lukevj]

You can add primer to drywall mud to do the same thing. Pro tip: do not sand after the first coat. Scrape a little, coat heavier, and start the coat at the ceiling, and trowel up into previous work.

[transequitur]

My suggestion: take it up a level and try NHL (natural hydraulic lime) plaster. It's pricey but one bag will cover a lot of square feet. Plenty of great pigments avail too. Use a hawk and trowel; preferably smaller Japanese trowels. Have fun ! Thanks for sharing.

[tool-nhmk]

Andrew, you quite possibly are the best you-tuber I enjoy watching. I love your energy and your subtle humor..the wall looks great. Now my husband is gonna be like now what are you doing?! 😂 Imma bout ta have a go at Roman plaster now 😅😂 Another great video and job well done!!🎉

[jamespatrick]

Tip: after patching the wall, use a large wet sponge to smooth out the patch plaster.
Zero dust. Perfectly smooth. Be sure to rinse it as you go.

[keithfield]

May I suggest that next time that you use a trowel instead of a putty knife to speed things up and you can use it to burnish the wall afterwards?