How to Paint Furniture Using Glaze

Antique or handmade wood furniture is suitable for glaze finishing.

Furniture glaze is a slow-drying, translucent substance; it comes either colored or clear and ready to be custom tinted. Blending a darker shade of glaze into the pattern work, inside corners and decorative grooves of furniture imparts an antique or "faux finish" to the piece. It also adds warmth and dimension. Glaze-finishing your own furniture is less expensive than professional glazing, and it allows you to finish the piece to your own taste.

Things You'll Need

• Latex or vinyl gloves
• Translucent color or clear glaze
• Acrylic craft paint (if mixing your own color)
• Fine steel wool or 180-grade sandpaper
• Lint-free rags
• Roll of cheesecloth
• Newspaper
• Sea sponge
• Furniture wax

Instructions

1. Choose the right glaze. If the piece has been finished with an oil-based paint or alkyd finish, use an oil-based furniture glaze. If it was painted with a latex paint, use a water-based glaze.

2. Add a small amount of colored acrylic craft paint to your glaze if you're starting with clear glaze and mixing your own color. Start with less color and work your way up to the desired shade. Test the mixture on a piece of scrap wood -- let it dry so you can see the final effect -- before starting.

3. Prepare the furniture to be glazed. Remove all hardware and cushions, if necessary. If the item has a high-gloss finish, roughen the areas to be glazed by lightly rubbing with fine steel wool or No. 00 sandpaper.

4. Remove all sanding residue by wiping the furniture down with a slightly dampened cloth, then with a dry cloth. The surface must be smooth, clean and dry prior to glazing.

5. Place the piece on some old newspapers and use a sea sponge to apply the furniture glaze. Start at the top and work downward, one small area at a time. Wait 3 to 5 minutes and wipe the glaze off lightly with a piece of damp cheesecloth. Keep a bucket of water handy; rinse and squeeze out the cloth often or you'll simply be moving the glaze around. Leave some glaze in the pattern work, decorative grooves and inside corners. High spots, edges and outer corners should only contain a light transparent film in order to give the appearance of wear. Work in the direction of the grain and do not aim for perfection; slightly uneven application will enhance the desired effect.

6. Allow the glaze to dry overnight. Apply a light coat of furniture wax to the entire glazed surface after final inspection and touch-up. Replace hardware and upholstered cushions if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Although the glazing technique is generally easy to master, practice first on an old piece of furniture. If necessary, the glaze can be wiped and sluiced off before it dries if you make a mistake.

• Old cotton T-shirts work almost as well as cheesecloth.

• If the glaze dries too fast, use a paint extender. Both water- and oil-based products are available from paint and hardware stores.

• Add to the antique look by distressing the piece prior to glazing.

• Do not use an oil-based glaze or paint extender on a latex finish. It will lift off the original paint.

References

• Karla's Cottage: How to Paint Furniture (the short cut way)
• Old and Sold: How to Paint Furniture