How to Crackle Paint

Crackle painting is a faux painting technique that produces a finish that looks like old cracked paint with older layers of paint showing through. Any smooth surface that can be painted with latex paint is suitable for crackle painting. Commonly, crackle paint is used on furniture, cabinetry or on accent trim and molding. Supplies are readily available at almost any home improvement store, and the crackle painting technique is simple enough to learn in an afternoon.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Interior latex paint in two colors, flat or eggshell finish
• Synthetic paintbrush
• Roller (optional)
• Crackle medium
• Sandpaper
• Rags
• Masking tape
• Drop cloth

How to Crackle Paint

1. Buy your paint, crackling medium and other materials. Choose two different paint colors---an undercoat that will show through the crackling, and a top coat color that will be the crackled paint. The crackling medium is colorless.

2. Prepare the surfaces you will be painting. Sand the surface smooth. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth to remove dust. Allow to dry.

3. Cover and mask surfaces you do not want to paint. Use masking tape to mask surfaces immediately adjacent to the surface you'll be painting. Use a drop cloth to cover the floor.

4. Apply the undercoat color according to the paint can instructions. Be sure to stir the paint thoroughly before application. Allow to dry 4 hours.

5. Apply the crackling medium. Use a paintbrush to give a directional effect to the crackling, or use a roller to achieve more uniform crackling. Allow to dry at least 1 hour.

6. Apply the top coat. Apply the paint thickly for more crackling. Or apply the top coat paint thinly for subtle crackling.

7. Remove the masking tape after a few minutes, while the paint is still fresh. Do not wait for the crackle painted area to dry completely, as this may cause the fresh paint to lift off with the masking tape.

8. Allow the crackle painted surface to dry completely.

Tips & Warnings

• Choose under coat and top coat colors that contrast with each other for a dramatic effect, but be careful about too much drama on a large surface. If you want a more subtle effect, choose under and top coat colors that are the same hue but differ slightly in shade.

• Be careful about crackle painting too many surfaces in one room. A little crackle paint goes a long way.

• You can wait awhile to apply the top paint coat, but be sure to apply the top coat within five days of applying the crackling medium.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish