How to Antique and Stencil an Old Wooden Rocking Chair for My Nursery

Prepare your rocking chair to be stained or painted. Remove grime and dirt with a commercial wood cleaner. Remove old varnish with a commercial stripper. Lightly sand the bare wood or its painted finish with a fine-grit sandpaper.

Stain or paint the rocking chair. If you are staining a previously stained surface, the new color should be a slightly darker shade to provide good coverage. Apply the stain according to the manufacturer's instructions. Varnish your chair after the stain has dried. To create a painted surface, brush an acrylic primer over the entire chair. After the paint has dried, apply a coat of latex paint in a soft subdued color such as oyster, gray, rose, sage or blue.

Position your stencil on the chair and secure it with tape. Painted designs are usually applied to the flat section on the top of the chair. This is the most visible area as you stand facing the chair.

Stencil the design. Dip your brush into the paint and make several strokes on scrap paper to remove most of the color. Use an up-and-down motion with your paintbrush on top of the cut-out portion of the template. Paint coverage should not be heavy. Portions of your design should look slightly faded to emphasize the antique style of the chair. Carefully remove the template and allow the paint to dry.

Apply a commercial antique glaze over a varnished or painted chair following the manufacturer's directions. Extend the glaze over the stenciled design. This product produces a transparent sepia finish which will add a mellow antique finish to your furniture. Allow the glaze to dry for 24 hours.

Sand some of the edges of your chair with a fine-grit sandpaper. Use light pressure and only sand random edges.The effect should simulate natural wear seen on authentic antique chairs.