How to create an unusual leather-like plaster: even a beginner can handle it

Adding a touch of elegance and individuality to any space can be achieved by creating a plaster finish that resembles leather. Even a novice can produce amazing results with this technique if they have the right equipment and a little perseverance.

Using a specific plaster mixture, this decorative technique imitates the look and feel of leather. The procedure is surprisingly simple, so anyone who wants to turn their walls into an opulent focal point can do it.

We’ll take you step-by-step through the process of creating this striking finish in this guide, from choosing the appropriate materials to adding the finishing touches. At the end, your home will have a lovely, leather-like texture that gives it more character and sophistication.

How it looks in the interior

When relief folds or scales of a reptile are created using a gypsum or acrylic mixture, the resulting texture is known as decorative plaster, or "under the skin."

Particular rubber molds and ornamental rollers are used to create crocodile and snake skin. The appearance of wrinkly "Turkish" skin is produced with the use of film, specialty paper, and easy plaster application techniques.

Painting, glazing, and varnishing afterwards will give the "skin" a more realistic appearance. This is conveyed through the texture’s characteristics as well as expressive tone shifts—of which there is no restriction—that produce supplementary effects like the fading of specific regions.

Any room can have "leather" finishes installed on it. However, only modest amounts of this coating will look good in small, typical apartments. For instance, when just one of the four walls is covered in "leather." This way, you can add the accent pieces you need without overpowering the space.

These inserts end up becoming a big part of the interior design. This can be confirmed by examining the picture below.

Technique of making crocodile and snake skin

You will need basic gypsum plaster or putty or a ready-made plaster mixture in buckets to apply a reptile (snake, crocodile) skin coating to the wall.

There are multiple stages to the work’s completion:

1. Cleaning the walls.
2. Primer. If the basis for the decor is a plastered wall, then a universal deep penetration primer is used. Concrete walls, as well as plasterboard, OSB sheets, chipboard and other smooth surfaces are treated with an adhesive primer with sand.
3. Applying plaster to the wall. The mixture is leveled with a spatula or trowel. It is not necessary to achieve ideal smoothness, since a skin relief will be created on the surface. Layer thickness: 2 – 4 mm.
4. Squeezing out the pattern. A special decorative roller or silicone stamp is used to form a relief under a crocodile or snake skin.

After plastering, pattern application starts fifteen minutes later. It is made with specialized rollers or stamps with textured depressions all over them.

When rolling, it’s important to make an effort to connect the ends of the produced strips to create a cohesive design. Stamps with larger cells are occasionally used to work out the joints. This not only helps to cover up the imperfections but also livens up the decor.

A plastic grater must be used to process plaster that has dried completely and has a finished design. This will get rid of any small flaws and any surface irregularities or roughness. After that, you must use a soft brush or brush to clear the dust from the nooks and crannies.

The effect of crushed (Turkish) skin

This kind of decorative plaster is not the same as "crocodile skin" in terms of appearance or execution method.

The following actions must be taken in order to create the appearance of crushed skin:

1. Carry out preliminary preparation of the surface (cleaning, primer, etc.d.).
2. Apply a layer of plaster approximately 5-6 mm thick (white gypsum compositions are used, alignment is practically not required).
3. Apply a polyethylene film to the plastered surface with an overlap of 5 – 10 cm on the edges. Any film will do, but it is better to choose a thicker one, for example, stretch film or bags for construction waste.
4. Slightly crush the film and the plaster that has not had time to harden so that folds are formed.
5. Smooth the polyethylene-coated surface with a plastic trowel.
6. Leave the plaster for 2-3 hours. During this time, the material will set, will hold its shape, but it will still be easy to remove the film from the wall.
7. Remove the polyethylene and sand down the uneven areas with fine sandpaper.
8. After this, it remains to give the plaster the desired color and highlight its texture.

The video below displays a similar decorating method.

Paper for embellishment. Not just plaster can be used to create this type of relief embossing. There are decorative papers available for purchase that are used with plaster or acrylic paint to produce wrinkles and a crumpled appearance. However, the paper remains attached to the wall, unlike film. I paint it the desired color and leave it as wallpaper.

You won’t need to search far for unique decorative paper because it isn’t often available here. Standard tracing paper works well for finishing; it is essentially the same, but much less expensive. About 150 rubles is the cost of an 0.8 x 10 m roll of tracing paper. In contrast, a roll of paintable wallpaper measuring 1 by 10 meters costs approximately 700 rubles.

Painting

To paint decorative trim "under the skin," use acrylic, water-based, or another type of water-based paint.

Depending on whether a white mixture was used or if the plaster was tinted before application, you can paint the decor in one of the following ways.

If the white plaster was used. The primary color of paint has been applied all over the wall. The indentations and sags receive extra attention. The textured (prominent) areas are then painted with a lighter or darker tone using a foam roller. Occasionally, it is sanded to reveal the underlying color.

Advice: To prevent paint from running into the nooks and crannies when applying the second layer, the roller should not be overloaded with paint.

If there was color in the plaster. Glazing—that is, tinting with a unique wax or varnish—is all that is necessary to add decorative finishing to a coating that already has an appropriate color.

A foam roller or soft spatula is used to apply wax. After that, the ornamental plaster is covered with the glazing composition using a gentle cloth. The pattern becomes more voluminous and expressive when wax seeps into the relief’s nooks and crannies.

Although it may seem difficult to create a plaster finish that looks like leather, even beginners can do it with surprising ease. With the correct supplies and a little perseverance, you can create a distinctive and eye-catching effect that elevates any area.

You will discover that this technique is not only doable but also pleasurable if you follow the specified steps. For people who want to improve the interior of their home, this is a rewarding project because the process encourages creativity and experimentation.

Whether you’re new to plastering or a do-it-yourself enthusiast, this method offers you the chance to pick up new skills while making your walls look really amazing.

Plastering a surface to resemble leather is surprisingly easy, even for novices. You can turn plain walls into a chic, textured surface that looks like leather by following a few simple steps and using the appropriate tools. Any room would benefit from this unusual technique, which can be executed even without specialized training.

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