How to Distress & Paint a Cabinet

Give your cabinets an interesting look.

Distressing painted cabinets can give a kitchen a rustic, Tuscan feel and is a simple do-it-yourself method to give your cabinets a designer look. Achieving a distressed wood look can be as simple as painting over wood cabinets, then using nails, a hammer, padlocks, keys and other items to bang and scrape the paint to give it a truly used and abused look.

Things You'll Need

• Grease-removing detergent
• Paint, two colors
• Paintbrush or roller
• Nails
• Keys
• Padlock
• Hammer
• Drill
• Sandpaper
• Clean cloth
• Varnish

Instructions

1. Clean the cabinets to remove any kitchen grime using a grease-removing detergent and water. Allow the cabinets to dry completely.

2. Apply a base coat of paint using a paintbrush or roller. The base coat should be a contrasting color you want to show through the top coat in areas where the paint is distressed. Allow cabinets to dry at least 12 hours.

3. Paint cabinets again with the top coat, the primary color for the cabinets. Allow the top coat to dry for at least 12 hours.

4. Sandpaper around cabinet pulls, on edges and in random spots on the surface to create a worn look. Sand down enough to reveal the color of the base coat.

5. Create scrapes and scratches in the cabinet. Use keys to dig grooves and scrape off paint in desired areas of the cabinets.

6. Use a drill with a small bit to create wormholes in the cabinet.

7. Damage the surface slightly. Bang the surface of the cabinets with one side of the circular end of a hammer to create dents, or use the drill with a small bit to penetrate the wood for a very distressed look.

8. Clean off any dust from sanding and banging using a clean cloth.

9. Paint over the surface of the distressed paint with varnish to keep it from peeling.

References

• Tuscan Home 101: Distressed Kitchen Cabinets
• DIY Ideas: Distress Cabinets
• Paint Pro: Distressed Furniture: Red and Black Cabinet Door