How to Distress Finished Furniture

Distressing furniture is the process of making a piece of furniture look older. This process creates a look that implies greater age and can mimic the appearance of antiques. Aged furniture can help give heft and substance to a room. The distressing process is not difficult. Creating a distressed piece can be done with a few simple and inexpensive items.

Things You'll Need

• Crackle finish Icepick Key chain Mallet Primer Sandpaper Stain

Instructions

1. Sand parts of the piece. Use a fine grit sandpaper to sand the wood parts of the piece of furniture. This will rub off bits of the new finish. Do not use a belt sander because it is hard to control the resulting pressure. Too much sanding will not look good.

2. Add primer. The primer will help age the piece by adding layers. After the primer has dried, sand again here and there to remove parts of the new finish.

3. Hit visible areas with a mallet. The mallet should create small dents that stimulate the process of aging. Use a keychain to make small scratches on the surface of the item. Use an ice pick to make very small holes in the wood. Do not use too much force or make gashes that are too long or wide. This will look artificial.

4. Stain the item. Choose a stain that has only some similarity to the current color of the piece. This will add contrast and texture to the finish. The result will be furniture that looks even older.

5. Paint on a crackle medium. A crackle finish mimics the look of flaking and peeling paint. The crackling is applied as you would ordinary paint. Let the finish dry before using it.

Tips & Warnings

• Follow all manufacturer's instructions when using any staining or crackling material.