Painting Distressed Furniture With Dark Brown Paint

Distressed furniture is wood furniture designed to show its age and wear. Whether it becomes distressed through normal use or whether it's painted using faux techniques to look aged, the distressed surface presents several issues for repainting. First, the surface of the wood can be uneven and full of nicks. Second, there may be areas of peeling paint. Finally, there will be uneven absorption. For a clean job, and to take the distress out of the surface in the final look, a dark paint, like dark brown, is a good choice in terms of coverage. In addition, preparation is key.

Things You'll Need

• Sandpaper (100 and 220 grit)
• Primer
• Brown paint
• Flat brush and round brush

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Sand the distressed furniture with the 100-grit sandpaper. Remove loose material, like old paint and stuck-on debris. Sand down nicks until even.

   • 2

     Sand the distressed furniture again with 220-grit sandpaper. This creates a smooth surface.

   • 3

     Paint the surfaces with primer. The primer seals the furniture surface, and supplies a solid base for the brown paint. Use the 2-inch brush on large surfaces. The round brush works best in nooks and small spaces.

   • 4

     Paint the furniture with the dark brown paint. The dark paint will likely cover in one coat. A second coat, though, provides durability and opacity.