How to Distress a Painted Dresser

One of the features of cottage or shabby chic-style decorating is distressed furniture. Tables, chairs, dressers and other pieces of furniture that show the wear of many years of use – such as paint worn off from corners and edges – add character and style to your home. While you can often find distressed pieces at antique shops or estate sales, often carrying a substantial price tag, you can easily create a distressed look on painted pieces that you already own.

Sponge
Sandpaper
Wire brush
Hammer
1-foot length of chain
Glaze
Brown paint
Brush or rag

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the dresser with a damp sponge and soap and water. Allow to dry. Remove the drawers.
- 2
  Sand the areas of the dresser and drawers where natural wear would occur, such as the corners, edges and in the area around drawer handles and on the knobs. Don’t try to sand the entire piece evenly, but instead try for a natural look. Sand more in some areas and less in others.
- 3
  Distress the edges of the dresser using a hammer. Bang the hammer along the edge, varying the pressure to create the look of damage over time.
- 4
  Add nicks and scratches to the surface using the chain. Carefully swing the chain and bang it into the sides and top of the dresser to create nicks and dents.
- 5
  Cover the entire piece with a brown-tinted glaze. Mix a few drops of brown paint with the glaze and apply with a brush for an overall antiqued effect. Allow to dry.
- 6
  Replace the drawers in the dresser.

How to Remove the Drawers From an Armoire

How to Hang Fabric Only at the Corners of the Bed

Bedroom Furniture