Techniques for Distressing Antiques

Sanding

• Paint your antique with a thin coat of paint. Let the paint dry. Sand away some of the paint along the edges of your furniture with a fine grain sandpaper. Apply varying amounts of pressure over the areas you sand so that some spots seem more or less worn than others. Space the areas you spot unevenly to simulate natural wear and tear.

Paste Wax

• Paint your antique furniture with flat paint. Brush in the same direction as the wood grain. Let the paint fully dry. Use a sponge or cloth to smear wax paste across the sections of the painted furniture that you're going to distress. Leave the wax to dry. Paint wood glaze over the waxed areas. Let dry overnight and sand down the glazed areas. Brush on sealant to lock in the effect.

Marking

• Create shallow grooves or worm holes across the surface of your antique by lightly tapping a chisel into random areas of the wood with a hammer. Scratch other surfaces by pounding and grinding them with a jagged piece of rock. Use a long stem utility lighter to burn dark spots into your antique. Apply these marks inconsistently and sparsely so your antique looks subtly distressed, not damaged.

Crackle Glaze

• Paint a thin coat of white primer over your antique. Sand gently after the primer is dry. Apply a coat of paint dark enough to show through the crackle later. Let it dry completely. Paint a layer of crackle glaze on select areas, letting the crackle glaze dry before applying a final top layer of colored paint over your antique. Dry fully before adding marks or sanding edges. Brush on a clear sealant such as an oil-based polyurethane to finish.