Dragging Techniques
Dragging is one of the most versatile painting techniques you can choose and can be a wonderful addition to any room. Learn how to create this "look" with these easy steps.
Dragging is one of the most versatile painting techniques you can choose. Dragging is a subtractive technique, meaning that you can take the Dragging Brush or other tool and drag it downward through wet McCloskey® Special Effects Glaze, creating vertical lines or stripes. This technique, also known as strie (pronounced stree-ay), can be used on walls, woodwork or the flat surfaces of furniture. Dragging is particularly suited to disguising the grooves of wood paneling.
Before starting, repair all surfaces. Dragging will emphasize surface flaws such as cracks and bumps, and is not recommended for walls with a heavy texture. Mask off all woodwork, floors and ceilings. Apply McCloskey® Special Effects® Base Coat in the color of your choice, following the label directions carefully. Remove tape or masking paper and allow to dry for at least four hours.
NOTE: This dragging technique should be practiced before beginning your project.
Reapply tape. Secure a plastic drop cloth directly to the baseboard to protect trim and floors from excess glaze and spills. Apply the glaze using a premium bristle brush. Cut in the first corner, ceiling and baseboard to no more than four feet. Using a 3/8" nap roller, quickly roll glaze into cut-in wet glaze.
Using a dry dragging brush, pull or drag it downward through the wet glaze. Work from top to bottom, applying uniform pressure to control the strength of the brush marks. The handle of the brush should be angled slightly downward to allow for flexibility in the brush bristles. Wipe the brush after each pass to remove excess glaze and maintain a wet edge between sections by overlapping them slightly.
Please refer to our downloadable PDF file for additional professional tips and instructions on how to create a linen weave.
