Achieving an aged and distressed look on wooden items can be useful for dcor that features antiques, a rustic cottage look or one that cultivates the aura of 'shabby chic'. Distressing wooden doors - on kitchen cabinets, bedroom cupboards or indeed storage units elsewhere in the home - is a way of adding interest to a bland piece of furniture. Several faux painting techniques can assist you in creating a distressed appearance on cabinet doors.
Distressing Techniques
You could give your cabinet doors a managed beating with hammer and chisel to create texture and interest. This will certainly distress your door, but with faux painting techniques you can choose amongst several aged or antique looks and achieve a total finish.
Creating texture depends on a simple principle. Using two layers of different color paint, you can create a convincing impression of patina and depth. Using more than two colors can vary and further enhance the illusion of age. You can use various implements to scrape the wet topcoat to reveal the layer beneath. Combing and dragging will remove paint to create a distressed effect. You can also paint streaks using a fine brush, but this can be time consuming and requires a trained eye.
Usually, the base coat, which will be showing through, will be a lighter color. The darker topcoat gives the impression of patina, the deep glow that develops over decades or centuries on old wood. You can use shades of the same color (typically shades of brown) but different effects can be achieved with different combinations, such as gray undercoat and brown topcoat.
Distressing With Wax:
Instead of scraping off areas of the second layer of paint before it dries, wax (typically beeswax) is applied in streaks, stripes or patches. When it has set, the paint topcoat is applied. Though it will cover the wax, when sanded both paint and wax are removed, exposing the base coat. You have considerable control over the finished effect, depending on the grade of sandpaper and how heavily or lightly you sand it.
Using Crackle Glaze :
As varnish on old furniture ages, it dries and cracks in a characteristic crazed pattern. By applying a layer of crackle glaze in between the base coat and top coat, you can replicate this effect. Note that oil paint is not suitable for use with crackle glaze. You need latex paints to get the required effect.
Pickling:
Your cabinet door may not be particularly ugly and may even have an attractive wood grain that you don't want to conceal with paint. With pickling you can create contrast and texture without covering up the original wood. All you do is paint your door in the contrasting color of your choice and wipe off paint while it is still wet.
Distressing techniques are not difficult to master and treating cabinet doors can be a solution to coordinating your dcor and achieving a unified style. - 15252
Distressing Techniques
You could give your cabinet doors a managed beating with hammer and chisel to create texture and interest. This will certainly distress your door, but with faux painting techniques you can choose amongst several aged or antique looks and achieve a total finish.
Creating texture depends on a simple principle. Using two layers of different color paint, you can create a convincing impression of patina and depth. Using more than two colors can vary and further enhance the illusion of age. You can use various implements to scrape the wet topcoat to reveal the layer beneath. Combing and dragging will remove paint to create a distressed effect. You can also paint streaks using a fine brush, but this can be time consuming and requires a trained eye.
Usually, the base coat, which will be showing through, will be a lighter color. The darker topcoat gives the impression of patina, the deep glow that develops over decades or centuries on old wood. You can use shades of the same color (typically shades of brown) but different effects can be achieved with different combinations, such as gray undercoat and brown topcoat.
Distressing With Wax:
Instead of scraping off areas of the second layer of paint before it dries, wax (typically beeswax) is applied in streaks, stripes or patches. When it has set, the paint topcoat is applied. Though it will cover the wax, when sanded both paint and wax are removed, exposing the base coat. You have considerable control over the finished effect, depending on the grade of sandpaper and how heavily or lightly you sand it.
Using Crackle Glaze :
As varnish on old furniture ages, it dries and cracks in a characteristic crazed pattern. By applying a layer of crackle glaze in between the base coat and top coat, you can replicate this effect. Note that oil paint is not suitable for use with crackle glaze. You need latex paints to get the required effect.
Pickling:
Your cabinet door may not be particularly ugly and may even have an attractive wood grain that you don't want to conceal with paint. With pickling you can create contrast and texture without covering up the original wood. All you do is paint your door in the contrasting color of your choice and wipe off paint while it is still wet.
Distressing techniques are not difficult to master and treating cabinet doors can be a solution to coordinating your dcor and achieving a unified style. - 15252
About the Author:
Creating distressed cabinet looks in your own home? Visit ThatPainterLady.com for more ideas and discover useful tips for creating a distressed look on a kitchen island.
