Distressing Shelves With Sandpaper

If your shelves look too new for your decor, distressing them may be the answer. Distressing is the act of marring the item to give it an antique or well used appearance. While there are many tools that can be used in distressing, sandpaper is readily available in many homes. Using sandpaper to distress your shelves can be done on both painted and stained surfaces.

Things You'll Need

• Sandpaper
• Tack cloth
• Polyurethane sealer
• Foam paintbrush

Instructions

1. Remove the shelves if possible.

2. Sand small areas of the shelf to expose the wood grain underneath the paint or stain. Pay attention to the areas that would have been worn through years of use from books being moved on and off of the shelves, such as small areas along the edges.

3. Wipe away excess sawdust with a tack cloth.

4. Apply a polyurethane sealer to the shelves with a foam paintbrush. This will help protect the exposed grain. Reinstall the shelves, if applicable, after the polyurethane has dried.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use hammers, chains and nails to scuff your shelves and give them a distressed look.

• Don't sand the entire surface of the shelves, just small sections.

References

• Definitions.net: Distressed
• RepairHome: Distressing Wood -- Getting the Faux Finish You Want