How to Go From Stained Cabinets to Antiqued Ones

Antiquing your cabinets will help give your home a traditional, well-used and weathered look that can complement a rustic and traditional design aesthetic. One way to achieve this look in stained cabinets it to paint a crackle finish over the cabinets. This crackle glaze will crack and split as it dries to look like old paint. Always cover the crackle with high performance sealant so the paint doesn’t flake off onto your kitchen counters.

Screwdriver
Sponge
Liquid dish soap
Paintbrush
Crackle medium

Instructions

- 1
  Remove cabinet doors and hardware.
- 2
  Clean the cabinets thoroughly with a sponge and soapy water. Make sure you’ve removed all of the dirt, grease and stains from the cabinet, as these will prevent the crackle medium from working.
- 3
  Rinse the cabinets with clear water and let them dry completely for several hours.
- 4
  Dip a paintbrush unto the clear crackle medium and brush it over the cabinets. Brush over the entire surface of the cabinets, but pay attention to the order in which you apply it.
- 5
  Let the crackle medium sit at least one hour but not more than four hours. After four hours and before one hour it will not crackle the paint.
- 6
  Dip a clean paintbrush into paint and brush it over the cabinets in the same order as you did the crackle medium. Brush on in one stroke and smooth it with another stroke.
- 7
  Let the paint dry completely. As the paint dries, it will begin to crackle.
- 8
  Paint a clear top coat over the entire surface of the cabinet. Let it dry completely.

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