How to Make Furniture Look Shabby

Shabby chic furniture provides a comfortable yet attractive atmosphere in your home. While purchasing shabby chic furniture can get expensive, it is more affordable to create your own charming piece. Your own shabby chic piece can become a family heirloom.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Piece of furniture
• Paint stripping fluid (if stripping an older piece of furniture)
• Water-based furniture cleaning fluid
• Sponges
• Screwdriver
• Scrub brushes
• Sandpaper
• Steel wool
• Paint primer
• Paint sealer
• Oil-based furniture or wall paint
• Paint brushes
• Paint rollers and handles
• Drop cloths
• Paint pans
• Furniture sealing wax
• Wood stain

1. Select a piece of furniture you wish to make into a shabby chic piece. The piece could be found at an antique shop, a yard sale, a thrift shop or even in your own home. Try to select a real wood item as laminated wood or pressboard does not work well.

2. Prepare the furniture. Using a water based furniture cleaner and a sponge, wipe down the piece. Next, remove all hardware with a screwdriver. If the furniture requires stripping, remove the layers of paint with a stripping solution. This can be purchased at a home supply store, such as Home Depot or Lowe's, or a local hardware and/or paint store. Work in a well-ventilated area if the stripper has fumes. There are some types which are more environmentally and user-friendly. Once the stripping process is complete, use sandpaper to rub off any excess paint areas.

3. Sand the entire piece. The purpose of sanding is to create a smooth surface for painting the piece. After sanding, use the water-based cleanser to remove any dust and grit from the surface.

4. Using a paint brush and/or small roller, apply a paint sealer to the entire surface and allow to dry. Gently brush the steel wool onto the furniture, using either round or straight motions to provide for the most appealing appearance of the shabby chic furniture. Allow this sealer to dry and reapply. Wait at least 48 hours for the piece to completely dry.

5. Take a piece of sandpaper and sand different areas of the piece. Pay special attention to the edges of the piece as well as any locations where you would expect wear and tear to be noticeable.

6. Apply some furniture sealing wax or wood stain to the entire piece. Allow this to dry completely. Reinstall the hardware.

Tips & Warnings

• Always work in a well-ventilated area. Consider wearing a respirator mask and gloves when handling paint and related products. Always allow paint and paint products to dry before continuing the next step.

References

• Painting Shabby Chic Furniture