From:Emily Fazio Emily Fazio, 2015
Give a not-so-pretty piece of furniture an antique look by painting, distressing, and staining. Distress is great for creating a distressed look that works well with rustic and farmhouse decor.
Wipe the surface of the furniture with a rag to remove residue on the surface (Image 2). Use a screwdriver to carefully remove all the components (Image 3). If there are a wide variety of hinges and screws, tape them together or put them in a baggie to keep track of them.
A sander will help you break up the polyurethane top coat and a sheet of sandpaper for detailed corners that the sander can't easily access. Roughing off the top coat helps the primer and paint adhere and is also an opportunity to sharpen sharp edges and corners for the distressed effect.
Apply a thin coat of primer to the furniture using a brush and roller (Images 1 and 2). When dry, follow with a coat of white paint. High-tack primer is preferable if the furniture has a laminated veneer, which tends to be more difficult to paint with long-lasting results. If the piece is solid wood, the traditional primer should adhere well to a sanded surface.
While the top layer of paint is still wet, remove the roller dunnage by lightly smoothing the paint with the brush (Image 3). This leaves the paint with a brushed look, which is a more traditional effect for a rustic or painted piece of furniture.
To distress the finish (and make the painted surface look more natural), take the sander to the surface of the furniture when the paint has dried. With an emphasis on the edges of the furniture, use the sander to gently remove some paint and primer allowing the underlying wood to show through. The effect can be subtle or dramatic, depending on how much existing wood is allowed to show through the top layers.
Applying a stain to the painted surface allows for an aged, vintage-style finish. Through a variety of stain colors, apply one coat with a cloth and wipe off excess in even, straight strokes (avoid twisting the cloth). When one coat dries, add additional coats for a narrower, deeper effect, or cover a different stain color for a layered look.
With the right color stain, you can even create a light wood effect, making it appear like maple or oak.
A coat of polyurethane finish will seal the dried stain, making your new distressed furniture durable in the long run. If the stain is oil-based, use an oil-based polyurethane. Whichever clear top coat you select, whether matte or high gloss, a foam brush will make application easy and even.
Emily Fazio, 2015
From:Emily Fazio
Use the same hinges and screws to hold the doors together easily. To change the look of your finished piece, consider adding new knobs to match your style.
