Creating an Antique Paint Finish
Antiques have aged, attractive look you want but do not always have the structural integrity of modern furniture. Through some creative painting and finishing, however, you can make a piece of new furniture structurally look antique. Light colored paint shows the wear of age faster than darker pieces of furniture, so stick to the brightest when you seek to achieve its antique finish.
Instructions
- Sand the entire shelf to remove excess paint and smooth it to make it suitable for paint scratches. Start with 60-grit sandpaper and up to 120 grits. Remove the leftover sawdust with tack cloth (sticky).
- Apply a cream or white oil-based primer to the wood and let it dry. Apply a second coat if the first coat does not cover the surface of the wood completely. Allow the second layer to dry.
- Use satin paint on the piece of furniture and brush using strokes that create the aged look you want. This should be a completely solid layer. Allow the paint to dry.
- Place 3 cups of white paint in a bucket and 1 cup brown. Mix the two together with a paint stick until glaze is light brown.
- Dip a clean, lint-free enamel in the mixture and wipe the entire piece of cloth art. Rubbing stripes on just overlap each other to create an aged appearance. Brown enamel creates a bleaching effect of the underlying paint, which usually occurs over time.
- Spray the furniture with polyurethane sealant to protect the finish. Allow the polyurethane to dry before moving the piece.
