How to Distress an Oil Painted Door

An oil-painted door may give your home the crisp look of crisp paint and bestows the door with a bright, cheerful, welcoming color. Paint also conceals flaws your door might have such as stains, nicks or dents. However, paint sometimes makes a room or the front of your house look too new. This may be a problem if you have a vintage-, historical- or shabby chic-style home. You can distress your oil-painted door, allowing it to complement your home in a better manner.

All-purpose cleanser
Soft cloth
Plastic bag
40 screws
Painter's tape
Foam brush, 3-inch
Crackle medium
Oil paint
Electric sander
Sandpaper, 100-grit
Tack cloth

Instructions

- 1
  Spray the door with an all-purpose cleanser, coating it generously. Wipe it down with a lint-free cloth.
- 2
  Fill a plastic bag with 40 screws and fasten the bag shut. Swing the bag against the door, creating nicks, dents and other signs of distressed wood. Continue this until you are satisfied.
- 3
  Tape off any areas you want to remain untouched with painter's tape.
- 4
  Dip a 3-inch foam brush in crackle medium and apply it, going against the grain of the door. Allow it 20 minutes to dry or as according to the package's instructions.
- 5
  Dip a foam brush in the oil paint color of your choice and apply the paint with the grain of the door. As the paint dries, it crackles, creating a naturally distressed look.
- 6
  Attach a piece of 100-grit sandpaper to the bottom of the electric sander. Run the sander along the sides and edges of the door to remove paint and expose the wood beneath the door. Continue until you've exposed as much wood as you like. Wipe down the door with a tack cloth when you are finished.

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