How to Create a Faux Antique Finish

You've seen that antique faux finishes at just about every home improvement store around. It's an expensive look and it has been applied to many objects like lamps, boxes and even walls. You don't have to have big bucks to get that unique finish and you can do it yourself to old lamps in your home or whatever you feel the need to refinish. You don't need a lot of expensive materials or tools, just a little time and creativity.

The basic supplies you need to do just about any surface are simple and inexpensive. To start you need finishing plaster, a base paint in the color of your choice, black tint and glazing medium. If it's not at the hardware store, you can find it in most art supply stores. Also you will need a small putty knife, paint brush, and some rags or old cloth.

Before you apply any plaster to the area you're working on, lightly sand any rough spots and remove all the hardware or objects you don't want to get painted. Mix the plaster in an old paint pan or bowl. Apply the plaster to the area in small patches. Don't worry about putting it on smoothly, a semi roughened texture will add to the antiquing effect. After the plaster has dried for about 5 or 10 minutes, go back over the plaster with the putty knife to add more texture to the finish. Let the plaster set up for another 5 or 10 minutes and using a small finish nail, scratch some small lines into the surface to make a cracked effect. Go back over the scratches with the putty knife lightly to make the crack effect more realistic. Allow the area your plastering to dry for 24 hours. If the plaster cracks, it's ok, it will only add to the antique effect.

Once your plaster has been applied and is sufficiently dried, its time to add your base coat. Typically base coat colors are a Medium dark color, like a red or green. You don't want to use a black or real dark color for the base coat; it hides the tint and glazing effect. Paint your base coat and allow the paint to dry for 24 hours. Mix the glazing medium and black tint into an old bowl or bucket at a 1:1 ratio. Apply a solid layer over the base coat that was applied earlier. Work the paint into all of the pits and cracks well. Once you have a small area done, remove the glaze and tint mixture with an old rag or cloth. Remove it before it dries. Wipe clean and let the project dry for 24 hours. Apply a light coat of poly urethane from a spray can for protection.

The longer you let the glaze and tint mixture to set on the base coat before you wipe it off can add a deeper color to the project. By adding a lighter or darker base coat first can also dramatically affect the colors. Experiment on cardboard or scrap wood first before you commit to any project.