How to Create the Marbling Paint Effect in 8 Easy Steps

Step 1: Gather your supplies

The first step to any painting project is gathering all of your supplies. Here’s what you’ll need to recreate a marble look at home:

• Old cloths, newspaper or anything to protect your other surfaces
• Sandpaper
• Masking tape (also known as “painter’s tape”)
• Regular paint roller and tray
• Rag or large paint brush
• Sea sponge roller and tray (optional)
• Feather brush (optional)
• Primer
• Glaze
• Satin paint

What paint should I use?

To create the marble effect, you’ll need at least two different shades of satin paint. The easiest way to find the perfect match is to buy the main colour you want as a base, and a tin of white paint. Then all you have to do it mix a little of the two colours together to create your highlight shade. Many people opt for a classic white/grey mix for their marbling, but other natural shades like Brave Ground also work well, or you can go wild with your favourite bright colour.

Remember that the glaze will make your colour appear one shade lighter than it is, so you might opt for a slightly darker base paint. For more advice on colour matching, you can also speak to one of our experts online and in-store, or try out the Dulux Visualizer app so you can try before you buy.

Step 2: Prepare the space

Now that you have all of your supplies, it’s time to prepare your space! First up, make sure your workspace is as clear and clean as possible. You’ll be sanding surfaces, so it’s best to move anything out of the room that doesn’t need to be there, or cover it with a cloth or blanket. 

Step 3: Sand your surface

Whether you’re marbling a wall or a piece of furniture, the first thing you’ll want to do is smooth the surface with sandpaper. This not only helps to even out the surface, but it also creates a better finish for the primer to stick to.

Step 4: Clean up

Once you’re done sanding, give the area a good cleaning with a clean brush or damp cloth, being sure to remove any dust or grit. You can also use a cleaning product or 1:1 water/vinegar mix, just be sure that the surface is completely dry before you continue. When your surface is dry, tape off any areas you don’t want to paint with the masking tape, and cover the floor with newspaper.

Step 5: Prime

Now we’re ready to roll! Take your regular paint roller and apply the primer to your surface area. Let the first coat dry and assess whether you’ll need a second. If the original surface is visible through the first coat, you’ll want to go over it again. 

Step #6: Add colour

Once your primer is dry, it’s time to add some colour. Taking your clean paint roller, add the first coat of base colour to your surface. As with your primer, check the colour once dry to see if you’ll need a second coat.

Step #7:  Glaze

Now for the magic… Mix the glaze with your paint using the ratio recommended on the pot – generally around two parts glaze to one part paint. This is where you can get creative. Using a rag or large paint brush, add the glaze mix around the surface. Try not to work in straight lines, but let the shapes flow naturally with the base colour showing through in small areas. If you prefer to keep the pattern more regular, you can also use a sea sponge roller for this step.

Step 8: Finishing touches

Once your paint work is dry, you can add some light finishing touches to your surface. Use a small feather brush and white paint to create the veined look of real marble, or go in with darker shades to create different bands of colour. Once you’re happy with the result, cover the dry paint work with a coat of polyurethane varnish for that unmistakeable marble sheen.