Ideas for Faux Painting Cabinets

Faux Bois

• Faux bois, or fake wood, is a glazing technique that produces either a realistic or ironic look, depending on the choice of colors. Brown glaze over a tan base mimics the appearance of natural wood, while unexpected colors and exaggerated wood grain will bring a quirky touch to your kitchen. Various tools dragged through a wet glaze create the effect of wood grain, such as stiff brushes, steel wool pads, graining combs and wood grain-embossed rocking tools.

Crackle Glaze

• Painted antique surfaces tend to develop crackles, as layers of paint dry and separate over time. However, you can create this look instantly with a specially formulated crackle glaze. Paint colors applied over a coat of crackle glaze will immediately separate. A dark glaze rubbed into the cracks and buffed off from the rest of the surface will draw attention to the crackle patterns.

Antiqued/Distressed

• Distressed cabinets are especially appropriate for shabby chic and rustic kitchen décor. This is a great finish for cabinets in poor condition, as imperfections will actually improve the final results. Select a base color that will later show through in worn areas of your cabinets. Rub the cabinets with beeswax before applying a topcoat of a different color. Finish the cabinets by sanding away the wax and distressing any raised areas and the edges of the cabinets.

Copper Patina

• Although copper cabinets may not be a practical choice for your kitchen, you can easily achieve this noteworthy look with two layers of glaze. Apply a smooth base coat of metallic copper paint using a foam roller. Then finish the cabinets by pouncing, or punctuating, their surface using a stipple brush and a blue-green patina-colored glaze.