Faux is a French word meaning false or fake. Thus faux marble finishes are accomplished with a wide range of mediums resulting in a surface that looks like marble. Faux wood graining is done in a similar manner.
Over time we have come to apply the word ‘faux’ to a multitude of finishes and techniques having little connection with the actual meaning of false or fake.
For most usages we could be referring to colored glazes and paint applied with different tools to achieve an appearance somewhat more interesting in texture and pattern than simply color.
Used to create economical interesting finishes there are examples both on line and at the sanibelfaux.com gallery.