A Cheaper Crackle Paint Faux Finish

Are you a fan of the "shabby chic" style? Are you looking for a quick and easy way to transform an old piece of wood furniture? A crackle paint faux finish might be just the thing you are looking for!

A crackle finish can give your furniture, shutters or doors a great weathered or antique look. Many arts and craft stores sell crackle paint faux finish kits that you can use for home decorating, however these kits are often difficult to use, expensive, and don't contain enough product for large projects like furniture or doors! So how can you achieve this great look on a budget?

Guess what? You don't need to purchase expensive faux finish kits to achieve this look. You can achieve it for under 15 dollars, and with limited skill! Here's how...

Materials:

Elmer's Glue
2 contrasting colors of paint
1 good paint brush
1 old yucky paint brush
something to paint (wood looks best)
Primer (optional)

Steps:

1. If your project has never been painted or primed, make sure you do that first. (You don't need to do this step if you are refinishing old furniture-- you can put the new coat of pain right on top of the old!!)

2. using the good paint brush, paint the furniture with the first color (remember, this is the color that will show through the cracks!). Let dry.

3. Once dry, cover the surface with a thick coat of Elmer's glue. Use the yucky paint brush to spread it out, since this brush will be ruined by the glue. The thicker the coat the better, and the crackling will look best if you vary the direction of the brush strokes.

4. Let the glue dry partially-- about 15 minutes, until tacky.

5. Quickly brush a coat of the second color of paint on top. Let dry. You will see results quickly!!!

6. Once dry,It is a good idea to seal your project with a clear top coat to help it last longer.

Thats it! You've now got a great piece of shabby chic furniture!