How to Distress & Paint a Cabinet

Distressing painted cabinets can give a kitchen a rustic, Tuscan feel and is a simple do-it-yourself method to give your cabinets a designer look. Achieving a distressed wood look can be as simple as painting over wood cabinets, then using nails, a hammer, padlocks, keys and other items to bang and scrape the paint to give it a truly used and abused look.

Grease-removing detergent
Paint, two colors
Paintbrush or roller
Nails
Keys
Padlock
Hammer
Drill
Sandpaper
Clean cloth
Varnish

Instructions

- 1
  Clean the cabinets to remove any kitchen grime using a grease-removing detergent and water. Allow the cabinets to dry completely.
- 2
  Apply a base coat of paint using a paintbrush or roller. The base coat should be a contrasting color you want to show through the top coat in areas where the paint is distressed. Allow cabinets to dry at least 12 hours.
- 3
  Paint cabinets again with the top coat, the primary color for the cabinets. Allow the top coat to dry for at least 12 hours.
- 4
  Sandpaper around cabinet pulls, on edges and in random spots on the surface to create a worn look. Sand down enough to reveal the color of the base coat.
- 5
  Create scrapes and scratches in the cabinet. Use keys to dig grooves and scrape off paint in desired areas of the cabinets.
- 6
  Use a drill with a small bit to create wormholes in the cabinet.
- 7
  Damage the surface slightly. Bang the surface of the cabinets with one side of the circular end of a hammer to create dents, or use the drill with a small bit to penetrate the wood for a very distressed look.
- 8
  Clean off any dust from sanding and banging using a clean cloth.
- 9
  Paint over the surface of the distressed paint with varnish to keep it from peeling.

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