How to Make Distressed Looking Furniture
Do you like the look of antiques without the hefty price tag that goes along with them? Then try making your own distressed furniture is a simple and economical solution that will allow you to create unique, one-of-a-kind designs that will look like antiques in no time. All you need is a few materials and you will be on your way to creating your own unique distressed furniture.
Materials
- Piece of unfinished furniture
- 2 different colors of stain and/or paint
- Foam roller or paint brush
- Top coat/sealer
- Electric sander
- 100 grit sand paper
Steps for Creating your Own Distressed Furniture
- Apply the first coat of your base coat paint or stain.
- Allow first coat of paint to dry almost completely; this will be around 30 minutes.
- Apply the second coat of your base coat paint or stain and allow to dry completely for 45-60 minutes.
- Apply clear topcoat to your furniture piece, and allow to dry.
- Apply one coat of your top color, allow adequate drying time.
- Sand any areas that you wish to appear distressed on your project with an electric sander; paying close attention to areas that would naturally get more wear to create a natural distressed look. You can experiment with different pressures to create variations in the shade of the base color that sill show through.
- Wipe away dust in between sanding so you can see how much of the base coat is coming through.
- Continue sanding until the desired effect is created.
- Hand sand any areas that you want to pay special attention to such as handles, corners and edges.
- Apply two coats of glaze over your finished product to protect your work.