How to Make a Shelf Look Antique With Worn Paint

Antiques have the aged, attractive look you desire but they don’t always have the structural integrity of modern furniture. Through some creative painting and finishing, though, you can make a structurally sound piece of new furniture look like an antique. Light-colored paints show the wear of age faster than darker pieces of furniture, so stick to brighter colors when you try to achieve your antique finish.

Sandpaper
Cream or white oil-based primer
Paintbrushes
Chocolate-colored paint
Satin paint of your chosen color
Glaze
Bucket
Stir stick
Cloth
Polyurethane sealer

Instructions

- 1
  Sand the entire shelf to remove scuffs to make it suitable for painting. Start with 60-grit sandpaper and move up to 120-grit. Remove the leftover sawdust with tack cloth (sticky cloth).
- 2
  Apply a cream or white oil-based primer to the wood and allow it to dry. Apply a second coat if you didn’t cover the surface of the wood thoroughly. Allow the second coat to dry.
- 3
  Brush satin paint onto the piece of furniture. The paint strokes create the aged look you desire, so don’t worry about making the coat completely solid. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly.
- 4
  Put 3 cups of glaze in a bucket and 1 cup of chocolate-colored paint. Mix the two together with a paint stick until your glaze has light brown tinting.
- 5
  Dip a clean, lint-free cloth into the glaze mixture and wipe it across your artwork piece. Wipe it on in streaks that barely overlap each other to create an aged look. The brown in the glaze creates a fading effect in the underlying paint, which generally occurs over time.
- 6
  Spray the furniture with polyurethane sealer to protect the finish beneath. Allow the polyurethane to dry thoroughly before you move the piece.

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