How to Distress a Vanity

Remove drawers and remove any hardware from drawers of the vanity with the screwdriver. Separate the mirror from the base of the vanity, if possible. Set both vanity pieces, the drawers and bench (if applicable) onto the drop cloth.

Sand the wooden surfaces of the vanity with the 220-grit sandpaper to prepare it for primer and paint. Rub the surfaces lightly and thoroughly to scuff them. Rub the sanded wood carefully with the tack cloth to remove all sawdust.

Apply painter’s tape around the mirror where it connects with the surrounding frame to prevent paint from spreading onto the mirror as you paint the wood.

Load the foam paintbrush with acrylic primer and paint the mirror frame, the base of the vanity, the drawer fronts and the bench with a thin layer of primer. Allow the primer to dry for the time recommended on the product label -- probably about two hours.

Load the foam paintbrush with the acrylic flat paint and apply paint to the vanity surfaces to cover the primer. Allow the flat paint to dry for the time recommended by the manufacturer.

Apply the semi-gloss enamel paint over the flat acrylic paint using the same technique. Allow this paint layer to dry for about 24 hours before proceeding.

Remove the painter’s tape.

Sand the edges of the vanity with the 440-grit sandpaper to remove the top layer of acrylic paint. Rub the sandpaper back and forth with the grain of the wood along all corners and edges where natural wear would occur. Sand around the mirror frame lightly to remove some of the topcoat of paint.

Use the chisel to create random nicks and small gouges in the vanity where they might occur over time, such as along corners, edges, on the legs and over horizontal surfaces like the top edge of the vanity and the top of the bench.

Wipe the vanity down thoroughly with the tack cloth.

Reassemble the vanity by attaching the mirror to the base and inserting the drawer pulls again. Place the drawers back into the base.