Distressing Antique Wood Furniture

Lay a drop cloth or old sheet down on which to work. Place the wooden furniture on this to keep you from accidentally damaging your floors.

Remove any knobs, handles or other screwed-in metal fixtures. Since the piece is antique, you’re unlikely to be able to find matching fixtures if those on it now get damaged by sanding, chemical stripping or painting. Store the hardware in a safe place so you can reattach it once the furniture is repainted and distressed.

Strip old paint from the wood. You can do this by sanding the piece down or using a chemical stripper. Once there’s no old paint remaining, clean the furniture thoroughly with a soft cloth to ensure there’s no debris on it that might get caught in your new coat of paint.

Apply a thin coat of flat paint using a paintbrush. Allow the paint to sit for a few minutes, then go over the entire piece with a rag, spreading the paint even thinner using an up-and-down motion. Allow the paint to dry fully before moving onto the next step.

Use fine-grit sandpaper to distress the piece by sanding down the paint around edges and corners to mimic normal weathering.

Make marks on the furniture using a small hammer, rubber mallet or any other tool you have laying around your house, to simulate the types of marks you’d find on antique wood furniture.

Seal the furniture using clear shellac. Allow the sealant to dry completely before reattaching hardware and moving the furniture.