How to Do Antiquing on Cabinets

Remove any hardware from your cabinets with a screwdriver. This will ensure you cause no damage to the hardware during the distressing application and will prevent any stain or paint from getting on the hardware.

Distress your cabinets and cabinet doors by sanding them with a medium- to light-grit sandpaper. Simply use the sandpaper to sand down areas where heavy wear and tear would normally exist. For example, around handles and drawers where there is heavy use.

Stain your cabinets in the color of your choice. Using a sponge, apply the stain to all exposed areas of your cabinetry, wiping away excess stain as you work. Be creative in the staining process; contrast between lightly and heavily stained areas will make lighter areas appear to be more worn. Darker-colored stains under light paint will give you a beautiful old-world finish. If you have chosen not to use paint, skip Step 4.

Paint your cabinets with a paintbrush. Crackle paint technique is a nice touch, as the paint cracks on top of the stain, giving an old appearance when dry, revealing a darker layer underneath. If using a regular paint, coat your cabinets evenly and allow them to dry completely. It is recommended you use a washable paint for this process.

Scratch off thin areas of stain and paint with wire wool. In random patterns, particularly where heavy wear would naturally exist; scratch the surface of your cabinetry to create a roughened area that will reveal the undercoat, giving the appearance of wear. Scratch just hard enough to remove the paint. Applying a large amount of pressure will also remove the stain.