How to Paint a Distressed Look on Ivory
Distressing a piece of furniture involves painting, sanding and intentionally causing damage, which makes the piece look significantly older. The same method works on a number of different surfaces, including ivory and resin or plastic pieces made to resemble ivory. When you distress the piece, you paint darker shades over the original color, which makes the piece look older and more antique. Turn bright white ivory pieces into decorative accessories for the house, by distressing the ivory. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- 10 tea bags
- 2 pts. water
- Stainless steel pot
- Wooden spoon
- Strainer
- Large bowls
- Cloth
- Fine grade sandpaper
- Paintbrush
- Brown paint
Instructions
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1
Place the tea bags and water in the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the water to a simmer and gently push the spoon against the tea bags, to squeeze out the color of the tea. After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the heat and strain the liquid, to separate the colored water and tea bags. Let the water cool.
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2
Wipe down the ivory piece with a soft cloth, removing any dust or debris trapped on the piece. Dip in cold water and wipe again. Rub the piece down thoroughly with the soft cloth, to completely dry the piece and remove any layers of dust.
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3
Dip the cloth into the tea liquid, soaking the cloth completely. Rub the cloth over the ivory piece, focusing on any engraved or etched areas. The ivory absorbs the liquid, turning these spots a darker shade of brown and making it look older.
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4
Rub fine grade sandpaper all over the piece, which gives the piece a more distressed look. Vary the strength and speed with which you rub, to make the sanding slightly imperfect. Paint more of the tea liquid over the ivory, let it dry and then sand again.
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Pour a small amount of brown paint into a large bowl and add enough water to create a thin mixture. Lightly paint the mixture over the ivory and then brush it off quickly with the soft cloth. Keep painting over the ivory with the paint mixture and wiping off the excess, until you have the look you prefer.
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Tips & Warnings
Distressing real ivory will likely lower or destroy the value of the piece. Antique dealers specializing in ivory want a piece that is as authentic as possible.
