How to Paint Furniture With Faux Finishes

Remove all hardware such as a hinges, knobs and pulls using a screwdriver. Set aside in a safe place so no items are lost. if you wish to use different hardware, fill the holes with wood putty and allow to dry. Sand the dried putty with fine-grit sandpaper. Continue the process until you have built up an even coating and the old hardware holes are no longer noticeable.

Scrub the piece of furniture down gently with a kitchen scrub brush and rag. Remove all flaky paint, dirt, oil and grime. Add a few drops of dish soap into water or use an all-purpose cleaner. Remove dust from corners by scrubbing with a cotton swab or toothpick. Dry the furniture with a clean towel.

Sand the entire piece of furniture with a medium-grit sanding block. The grit allows the paint's new base coat to grip to the surface of the furniture. Wear a breathing mask when sanding. Roll up sandpaper to sand tight corners. Remove the dust by wiping down with a soft cloth. Allow to dry.

Pour eggshell or satin sheen paint into a paint tray. Use a mini foam roller to smoothly roll on the base coat. Paint hard to reach areas with a small paint brush. Do not apply heavy pressure. Add one or more coats as necessary until a solid base coat is present. Allow to dry for about 24 hours.

Try a variety of faux finish techniques over the furniture's base coat. Sand the edges of the furniture to give an aged and weathered look. Mix together one part brown latex paint and one part clear glaze and stir well. Rag on the stain and rub over the entire piece of furniture for an antique stained look. Use gold or silver paint sponged lightly over the furniture for a mottled look.

Experiment with a variety of faux finish tools. Artists use anything from wrinkled tissue paper, newspaper, garbage bags, and stencil stamps to create different looks. Add stencils, vinyl appliques or even paint markers for quick and creative changes to your furniture. Apply different techniques onto cardboard to practice your faux finish techniques.