How to Crackle Finish Old Furniture

Using a crackle medium on wood furniture gives it an aged and distressed look.

Sometimes you find a piece of furniture at an antique shop, flea market or yard sale that would be a perfect addition to your home -- with a little clean up and refinishing. You can strip the wood piece and apply new stain or fresh coat of paint; but if you are going for a country or shabby chic look ,there is another option. A crackle finish adds an aged or distressed appearance that could work well with your decor.

Things You'll Need

• Sandpaper
• Scraper
• Cleaning supplies
• Two contrasting paint colors
• Crackle medium
• Paintbrushes or sponges

Instructions

1. Completely clean the piece to remove dirt and grime. If you're painting a chair or other upholstered piece, remove the fabric section to avoid getting paint on it.

2. Remove any old paint using a scraper and sandpaper. If the piece is stained, use sandpaper to rough up the surface in preparation for the paint.

3. Paint the furniture using your base color. This color will appear in the cracks. Allow the paint to dry completely.

4. Apply the crackle medium, a clear, paintlike substance, following the manufacturer's instructions. Allow the crackle medium to dry to the touch.

5. Paint the piece with the other paint color. This will be the dominant color of your piece. As the paint dries, the cracks will appear.

6. Add a clear coat after the paint has dried. This will protect your furniture and prevent the top coat of paint from flaking off.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase crackle medium at any craft or home improvement store in the paint section. Follow the medium instructions carefully; sometimes you have only a short time after it dries before it loses effectiveness.

• Choose contrasting colors for your base and top colors. The greater the contrast, the more obvious the crackle with be.

• You can apply the top coat of paint with either a brush or sponge. Using a sponge creates smaller cracks.

• Never use a semi-gloss or gloss paint over crackle medium, as they do not crackle well.

• Only apply one coat of the top paint color. Re-covering area that you have already painted can pull off the paint that you've applied and prevent it from cracking.

References

• Decorative Faux Painting: Crackle Faux Painting: On Furniture
• Woodweb: A Little About Crackle Finishes