How to Distress Furniture to Look Like Salvaged Wood

Paint It Gently

• 1

  Clean the furniture thoroughly to ensure that it is free of dirt, glue or other impediments which will prevent the paint from adhering properly.

• 2

  Pour a small amount of white latex paint in each of the four to six mixing bowls. Add gradually greater amounts of the colored latex paint to each bowl. The goal here is to create shades of color that are distinct, for this will help create the distressed effect on your furniture.

• 3

  Apply a primer to the furniture and leave it dry.

• 4

  Brush a base coat over the entire piece of furniture with the lightest shade of paint. Let the paint dry.

• 5

  Sand the surface lightly with sandpaper so that some of the primed surface is exposed. Wipe the dust with a damp cloth.

• 6

  Working from the lightest shade of paint to the darkest, apply the paint to the furniture as lightly and dryly as you can by dipping the brush into the paint and then blotting it on paper towels. Vary your brush strokes – up and down and side to side – but do not cover the base coat. The goal here is to leave patches of the previous coat of paint showing through. Allow each color of paint to dry before proceeding to the next.

• 7

  Continue applying subsequent coats, noticing the mottled effect that appears with each successive layer. Stop at four coats or continue to six coats, depending on the texture you desire. Let the paint dry thoroughly.

• 8

  Sand the surface very lightly, especially those sections that would logically appear more worn if the furniture piece were truly an antique, such as around the edges, corners and handles.

• 9

  Apply two coats of acrylic varnish to protect your distressed finish, allowing dry time between each coat.

Beat It Purposefully

• 10

  Clean the furniture thoroughly to ensure that it is free of dirt, glue or other impediments which will prevent the paint from adhering properly.

• 11

  Apply a primer to the furniture and leave it dry.

• 12

  Brush on the base coat and leave it dry.

• 13

  Apply small amounts of petroleum jelly to the areas that you want to show through the next coat of paint, such as edges, corner and handles.

• 14

  Distress the furniture piece by simulating wear and tear. Remove some of the base coat with a pen, sharp knife or keys. If you wish to make the furniture look truly worn and bruised, consider using sharp or heavy objects, such as the pointed heel of a lady’s shoe, chains or a brick, to create soft indentations in the wood. Start out slowly and carefully, as you don’t want to repair the furniture; you want to paint it.

• 15

  Apply a contrasting top coat of paint and let it dry thoroughly.

• 16

  Rub the furniture piece with steel wool. The second coat won’t stick to the jelly, making patches of the second coat simple to remove.

• 17

  Distress the furniture piece further, if you like, by rubbing it with sandpaper.

• 18

  Apply two coats of acrylic varnish to protect your distressed finish, allowing dry time between each coat.