How to Antique a Black Cabinet

Remove the cabinet hardware, including the knobs and hinges, using your screwdriver. Lay out the doors and other sections on newspapers.

Hand-sand the surfaces with sandpaper, lightly, just enough to dull the existing shine. Wipe off the dust.

Spread dark gray refinishing glaze thickly over each section of the cabinet with your paintbrush. Allow the glaze to sit on the surface until it starts to dry, about five minutes.

Use rags to wipe up the glaze, with light, easy strokes, so it’s only coming off on the flat spans. Let it partly remain in the corners and any lines or nooks on the surface. Get it looking the way you want.

Let the refinishing glaze set 12 hours.

Apply a thin, even coat of polyurethane over the surfaces, using a paintbrush. Let it dry for four hours. Lightly buff the dried polyurethane with sandpaper to dull the surface, then add a second polyurethane coat. Let it set 12 hours. Reassemble the cabinet.