How to Distress Furniture

This project has the flea market super-shopper or the garage sale guru in mind but it's also perfect for someone who wants to revamp an existing piece of furniture. These days we all want our homes to look fabulous - paint, furniture, accents, the works. However the majority of us cannot afford to go out to those high-end furniture stores and spend what would equate to a small car on items for our home. With that in mind, we are going to create a beautiful distressed wood piece that will be eye-catching and fun to make.

Here's what you'll need:

1. Your flea market find - Tables and nightstands are relatively easy to find in solid wood at a good price. Press board is a little more difficult to work with but if you use primer it is possible. I suggest solid wood for your first attempt as it is easier to work with and in my opinion has a much more "country" feel.

2. Primer - This is optional.

3. Two paint colors - Your primary color and the color you want peeking through the "distressing" or your base color.

4. Heavy grit sandpaper

5. Paint brushes

6. Tack cloth

7. Water-based polyurethane

Steps:

1. Sand the table (we'll use a table for an example) well and clean it off with the tack cloth. Little bits of sawdust mixed with paint is not entirely attractive. This is where you prime if you want. I suggest priming if there is a heavy clear coat on the table as sanding may not completely remove the coat and paint may not adhere to the surface without the priming.

2. Paint the table with you base coat. This will be the color that you are going to want to be peeking through your "distressed" marks. Let dry thoroughly overnight.

3. Paint the top color over your base coat and unfortunately, again, let dry overnight. You won't be able to distress properly if the paint is soft. All it will do is gum up your sandpaper and you will so NOT get the look you want.

4. Alright, we're at the fun part! Take your sand paper and start sanding random spots. Personally, I like to go in one direction because I enjoy a "streaked" look. Step away every now and again so you don't go sand crazy. The point is to have the base coat "peek" through. Otherwise, what was the point of the top coat! Don't forget to sand edges where normal wear and tear would show up.

5. Finally, the polyurethane. This is really kind of optional. If you're refinishing a kitchen table I would definitely use it as your going to most likely spill something on it at some point (especially with kids like mine!) and if you don't have some protection on it you'll ruin your finish. If you're doing a nightstand or some other piece that doesn't necessarily get used for drinks/food the I would go "Au Naturale". Either way it is a personal preference.

Now, sit back, pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy your "new" piece of furniture!