How to Age & Distress New Wood

Always go with the wood grain and not against it.

Make a chair, cabinet or other piece appear older than its actual age by aging and distressing the wood. This process is commonly referred to as antiquing and is achieved using different techniques; for example, you can use glaze to age new wood. Regardless of the technique used, you’re actually reversing the finishing process completed by manufacturers. You’re intentionally manipulating or destroying new furniture to make it look imperfect or worn. You want to leave several layers of paint speckled over the wood grain to prove the “finished” new wood has been around for years.

Things You'll Need

• Sand paper
• Wood file
• Mallet
• Hammer
• Paint
• Paste wax
• Paintbrushes
• Glaze
• Protective sealant

Instructions

How to Age and Distress New Wood

1. Rub sandpaper on the new wood. You want to remove any paint along the sides of the object. Go with the grain. For example, on the arms of a chair, concentrate on the areas where your arms rest.

2. Use a wood file. Concentrate on the areas you sanded. You want to file down the areas until they appear smooth and curved. File in the direction of the wood grain.

3. Hit the new wood. Use a mallet and gently dent certain areas. For example, use a mallet on the arms of the chair. If you are distressing a table or cabinet with legs, use a hammer to knock some of the chips of the feet.

4. Make holes in the new wood. With a hand drill, place four to five tiny holes into the wood. You want to place the holes in one area. The wood cluster should simulate woodworm.

5. Apply scratch marks to the wood. To achieve scratch marks, rub a wire brush along different areas of the piece. For instance, if you’re aging a chair, place scratch marks along the back of the chair.

Using Paint

1. Apply paint. Use a paintbrush to coat the wood, going with the wood grain. The paint shows the areas you’ve distressed. Let dry for approximately 24 hours.

2. Place paste wax on the new wood. Spread the paste wax evenly over the surface areas. If you’re not antiquing the entire area, only use paste wax on the areas you’ve distressed. Allow the paste wax to dry for one hour.

3. Use wood glaze over the paste wax. The glaze acts as the main color of the new wood. Let dry for 24 hours.

4. Finish aging and distressing. Lightly sand the areas you want to age. You want to go in the direction of the grain. Also, coat the entire wood piece with a protective sealant.

Tips & Warnings

• Use goggles and gloves when aging new wood.

• When sanding, don’t take off too much of the wood.

References

• Repair Home: How to Distress Wood
• Antiquing Furniture: Antiquing Furniture