How to Distress a Desk

Distressing a piece of furniture involves applying a faux finish to the item using a variety of tools and techniques. If you have a desk that looks too new or that you picked up at a garage sale and that needs some character, distress the piece to give it a weathered look. You can distress the desk as lightly or heavily as you want, depending on the surrounding décor in the area where you will be placing the desk.

Drop cloth
Orbital sander
Tack cloth
Tinted primer
Paint
Paint tray
Roller
Paintbrush
Sandpaper
Denatured alcohol
Steel wool, 0000 grade
Fiber free cloth
Wood glaze
Polyurethane spray coat

Instructions

- 1
  Lay a drop cloth down to protect the flooring and surrounding area.
- 2
  Sand the entire desk to prepare it for paint. Wipe the dust away with a tack cloth.
- 3
  Pour a tinted primer into a paint tray. Apply a coat of primer to the entire desk using a roller for the flat areas and fill in any missed spots with a paintbrush. Allow the primer to dry completely. Choose a primer color that you like, as it will show through after you have distressed the desk.
- 4
  Apply a coat of paint to the desk; this will be the main color of your desk. Let the paint dry and apply a second coat if the coverage of the first coat is not sufficient. Let the second coat dry.
- 5
  Sand the top of the desk in areas you want to show wear, such as where arms would rest.
- 6
  Dip a piece of steel wool into denatured alcohol and rub it lightly along the edges, feet and drawers of the desk until you see the wood grain. Wipe away the alcohol with a damp cloth immediately after seeing the grain.
- 7
  Clean the desk of any steel wool fibers with a tack cloth.
- 8
  Dab wood glaze along the edges and areas where the wood grain is exposed to highlight the areas. Wipe away excess glaze with a cloth. Allow the glaze to dry.
- 9
  Seal the desk with a polyurethane spray sealant.

How to Stain a Crib

How to Distress a Chair

Faux Finishing