DIY Faux Vintage Inspired Mantle

Use a crackle medium to give your mantel a vintage look.

If you have a mantel over a fireplace in your cozy living room and you are hoping to add more charm and warmth to the space, consider giving your mantel a vintage, antique look by painting it with a crackle finish. Crackle finish painting is an art project that you can complete easily, in a few hours and with only a few resources. The outcome will look more expensive than you might have imagined.

Things You'll Need

• Drop cloth
• Painter's tape
• Water-based acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Old plastic container
• White craft glue
• Water
• Old paintbrush
• Spray gun

Instructions

1. Spread a drop cloth across the floor above your mantel.

2. Line the walls, floor and trim where you think paint might splatter with painter's tape.

3. Paint the mantel with water-based acrylic paint. Allow the paint to dry completely.

4. Squeeze a bottle of white craft glue in a plastic bucket -- such as an old cottage cheese container -- and thin the glue with several tablespoons of water.

5. Spray the entire mantel with the top coat by using a spay gun. You will need to apply the top coat as quickly as possible, which is why using a spray gun is ideal. Allow the paint to dry. The crackling will slowly begin to appear.

References

• You Tube: To Create Crackle Finish