How to Paint Furniture to Give It an Old World Look

Paint the furniture with a base coat of a latex paint color. Choose one that coordinates with the room where you will display it. Use a nylon paintbrush or craft foam brush. Another option is to stain unfinished wood. Allow time for the furniture to dry completely.

Mix glue and water in different ratios in three small bowls. Use 3 parts glue and 7 parts water in the first bowl, equal parts in the second container and a ratio of 7 parts water to 3 parts glue in the third container. Stir the solutions well with a spoon.

Apply the glue mixtures to the piece of furniture. You may apply all three mixtures to a section but avoid overlapping the different glue ratios as this may cancel out the crackled appearance. Work on one small section at a time and complete it with the paint before starting another section. Wait for the glue mixture to dry approximately 3 minutes or less.

Paint a diluted top coat of paint on the furniture. Do this by diluting latex paint with equal parts water in a bucket and stirring it with a paint stick. Wait for the paint to air dry to view the crackled, old-world appeal. Speed up the process by using a blow dryer. A heat gun is another option.

Apply a polyurethane sealer with a paintbrush to the furniture to preserve the old-world look. Do this with a clean paintbrush. Two coats may be necessary. Allow the sealer to dry before applying another coat.