Paint Faux Finishes: Distressing

There is no distress in painting faux finishes. Distressing wood furniture, cabinets, and doors actually looks better if some mistakes are made. This is faux finish is meant to give an old, antique look to anything wood you choose. Follow these techniques and you will have a masterpiece to be proud of.

Materials:

• Sandpaper

• A Can of Oil-Based Wood Stain

• A Can of Oil- Based Wood Glaze

• A Can of Wood Varnish

• Paint Brushes

• Plastic Gloves

• Facemask

• Cloth Rags

• Small Plastic Container

• Paint Sticks

Techniques:

• Begin by sanding the wood you want to paint. Use sandpaper to remove old layers of paint to create a smooth surface. Clean the wood with a damp rag so it is free of dust and wood particles.

• Mix the oil-based wood stain with the oil-based wood glaze in a small plastic container. The wood glaze comes translucent and the stain can be found in any pigment you choose. Add the stain into the glaze to control the color darkness. Stir with paint sticks.

• Oil-based stains take much longer to dry but are worth the extra time.

• Paint the stain-glaze mixture onto the wood. Paint with the grain of the wood! Otherwise the stain will not turn out right. Go slowly and get an even coat.

• Let the stain sit about 5- 15 minutes to develop a rich color. The longer it sits, the darker color you will have.

• This part is the distressing: use a cloth to wipe away the stain. Keep the corners, cracks, and crevasses dark. Gently wipe away flat areas for a lighter color. Oil-based paints dry slowly so you have time to apply and take away stain the way you want to distress the wood to look.

• Keep in mind you can always add more stain to the wood but taking away stain grows increasingly difficult.

• Let the stain dry at least 1-2 days depending the amount of stain used.

• After the wood dries sand off any areas that has too much stain or build up. Sanding also allows for further distressing. Use fine-grained sand paper and go with the grain of the wood. Always wipe clean the wood of debris.

• Apply a topcoat of wood varnish. Brush on a thin layer and then let it dry. You can add a second layer of varnish if you need to. Sand in between layers to remove imperfections.

• Consult local hardware stores for colors and other stain options.

• Wear a facemask to prevent breathing in toxic fumes.

• Wear plastic gloves because staining is messy and will stain your hands!

• Lay down a plastic tarp if you think you might damage the floors.

• Work in a well-ventilated room.