Distressing, or the art of making new furniture look old, is a creative way to add character and a vintage charm to your home decor. If you love the rustic, antique look, distressing your furniture can be a fun and rewarding DIY project. In this article, you'll find three easy techniques to give your furniture an aged look.
Paint and Sanding Technique
The paint and sanding technique is one of the most popular methods for aging furniture. Here is a step-by-step guide:
- Preparation: Clean the furniture piece and remove any hardware. Apply a coat of primer and let it dry.
- Paint: Apply your chosen paint color. Darker shades work best for this technique.
- Distress: Once the paint is dry, use sandpaper to lightly scratch the areas you want to look worn. The edges and corners are usually the best spots for this.
- Seal: Apply a coat of sealant to protect your new distressed furniture.
The Candle Wax Technique
The candle wax technique is great for creating a chipped paint effect. Here's how:
- Preparation: Clean the furniture and remove hardware. Apply a base coat of paint in a color different from your top coat and let it dry.
- Wax: Rub a candle over the areas you want the base coat to show through.
- Paint: Apply your top coat. The wax will resist the paint.
- Distress: Once dry, use a scraper to remove the paint where the wax was applied.
The Vaseline Technique
The Vaseline technique is another easy method for distressing furniture. Here are the steps:
- Preparation: Clean the furniture and remove hardware. Apply a base coat of paint and let it dry.
- Vaseline: Apply Vaseline to the areas you want the base coat to show through.
- Paint: Apply your top coat. The Vaseline will resist the paint.
- Distress: Wipe away the areas where the Vaseline was applied. The top coat of paint will come off easily, revealing your base coat.
Remember, the key to successful distressing is to make the wear look natural. Don't be afraid to experiment and find what works best for your furniture piece.
