Painted-Furniture Techniques

Replace or Refurbish

• A large chunk of a remodeling budget for just about any room is usually reserved for furnishings. Replacing the whole set of furniture from one or more rooms is an easy way to get the job done, but is costly and somewhat wasteful. Instead of replacing old or slightly worn pieces, a quick coat of paint will bring them back to life and give a completely new look to fit the new space. This is also an excellent idea when funds are limited, as it avoids the high cost of all-new furniture. If added pieces are required, inexpensive and sometimes free choices are available from charity organizations, yard sales or online auction sites. As long as the piece is structurally sound, a thorough cleaning and layer of paint will make a world of difference.

Antiquing

• Antiquing or distressing a piece of furniture is a process which gives furniture a well worn look. It is a style that fits with "shabby chic," and creates visual interest to the piece. There are a few ways to create the look, and the easiest is with paint. An essential first step for any furniture paint project is sanding. Sanding eliminates surface stains, scratches and nicks and gives a rough texture, ideal for primer.

  The painting process requires two different colors. The first is the primer coat and is the color which will be visible through the top coat when finished. Once the base coat has dried, run a candle along parts of the piece. The areas covered with wax will provide the worn look when finished. The best places are along the edges, legs and corners, which are areas where wear marks will naturally appear first. A thin layer of top coat is next: It's best to apply a few thin layers instead of one or two thick layers. This gives a more worn look and makes it easier to adjust to get the desired look. A coat of polyurethane must be applied over the top once the paint has dried to protect against scratching.

Marbling

• A faux marble technique is done using a combination of paint colors, usually a minimum of three hues from the same family, and a sea sponge. Apply all three colors at the same time with the sponge, a technique that will create the characteristic shading of marble. The veins commonly found in the natural stone are created using paint and a detail brush, but feathers and small sponges work also and should be applied only after the base coat of paint has dried completely. Once all the painting is done, a high-gloss coat of polyurethane adds protection and a shiny finish to the surface.

Wood Grain

• Wood grain patterns are done to improve the look of worn furnishings and will help a piece blend with the space. Simple paint techniques are available to create a deep mahogany, light-toned oak and just about anything in between. The process starts with a thorough application of primer, usually one to two coats applied with a brush or roller. FauxPaintingTechniques.com recommends two coats of rusty brown eggshell paint as the base coat. A thin coat of whiting, a type of white-wash product, is applied next, using a damp rag. The mid-brown glaze is applied next with a 2-inch brush. A mottling product will create the grain pattern, and is softened with a soft bristle brush. The finished product utilizes three different tones of paint, glaze, whiting and mottling products. Each must be applied according to manufacturer's instructions.