A faux finisher imitates natural materials such as stone and marble painting walls, ceilings, floors, and/or furniture. Faux finishers can work in both residential and commercial settings. They could be self-employed or employed an interior design firm. Before offering painting services to clients, a professional faux finisher must perfect his or her techniques.
A faux finisher’s job entails staying current with popular painting techniques. He or she must always ensure that the paint finishes are both realistic and attractive. Cobblestone faux finishes, for example, should have the textured detail and varied colors of real, rugged brown stones. The finisher must be skilled in applying lines of paint in cool colors to resemble the expensive stone in marble faux finishes.
To get noticed their target market, faux finishers who own their own businesses must advertise in local newspapers or other publications. Homeowners who want to add painted finishes to their walls or floors make up their typical market. A faux finisher who runs his or her own small business will frequently have a website with photos of client projects so that potential customers can see examples of his or her work.
To stay in business, faux finishers with their own businesses must communicate with potential clients phone or email on a regular basis. They must also be able to come up with original ideas to suit each home and homeowner, in addition to learning what types of paint finishes and colors are most in demand their customers. If the customer wishes to hire the faux finisher, a payment schedule and total amount are agreed upon. Faux painters must schedule projects around the convenience of the homeowners.
Many faux finishers who run their own businesses have to do more than just paint; they also have to plan projects and buy supplies. To complete client painting projects, a faux finisher may need to interview and hire assistants. They may be required to perform administrative tasks such as payroll and tax filing, depending on whether or not they have business partners. Attending workshops or craft shows as a professional faux finisher is a good way to meet other people in the industry and market his or her services to new clients. While some faux finishes offer public classes, the majority of them work on client homes on their own or with the help of hired helpers.