Tutorial-How To Antique Painted Furniture

How To Antique Furniture

Learn how to antique furniture in a few easy steps. Antique paint and painted furniture to add depth and character. No hum drum stuff here.  Tips, tricks, and lots of photos to make your project the best it can be are included.

How to Antique Furniture 

Step 1. Paint furniture the desired color using latex paint with a flat, matte, or satin finish.

Step 2. Brush on Caromal Colours Toner, a product you can find locally or online. 

Step 3. Wipe off excess Caromal Colours Toner with a rag. Done!

MY LATEST VIDEOS

The process To Antique Painted Furniture is really simple. Anyone can do this…..meaning you too.

My favorite part of blogging is the interaction with my readers and the knowledge that I may actually be able to inspire someone… anyone…. with my projects. The first time I received an email asking for more information on how to do a project I was a little surprised and a lot humbled. The idea that someone would ask me for guidance was new to me.

 I do my best to explain special techniques and paint finishes and I love when readers send me photos of their projects. So far no one has hunted me down for any questionable advice I may have given. A large number of comments and emails are about how to antique furniture or how to give painted furniture an aged finish.

I painted and antiqued this table all the while taking lots of photos to share with you guys. If you have any questions about how to antique painted furniture after you read the tutorial just shoot me an email!

The miracle product that makes antiquing easy is ….Caromal Colours Toner. This stuff goes a long way. The size is 16 ounce and you can do several pieces of furniture with one jar unless they are humongous.

At one time I sold the Toner in my Etsy shop but found the process of taking orders, packing the product, and shipping it very time consuming. You can order the toner here….Caromal Colours Toner...or visit the Find A Local Store Page here.

This little table was perfect for the antiquing process because of the turned legs. Those beautiful turned legs collect the toner in all the right places. Plus the table was only $5 at My Favorite Junk Shop. The paint is Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Eulalie’s Sky. My new favorite paint color.

The technique is as simple as  brushing on the toner using an inexpensive chip brush. Then…..

……wiping the toner off until you get the perfect look. Leave a lot of toner on the paint for a really aged look or wipe most of the toner off for a slightly worn look.

Brush the toner on………Wipe the toner off.

Brush the toner on…..

…..you get the drift!

a few tips and tricks to help with your project

1. The toner is really dark, don’t try to water it down because it makes the toner dry faster and then it’s hard to work with. I speak from experience!

     2. Use a damp rag to wipe off a little toner, a dry rag to leave on a lot of toner, a wet rag to wipe off most of the toner.

     3. The toner is easy to work with and you have time to work it and get the look you want but once it dries, it’s there to stay!!

     4. Once the toner is applied start wiping it off to get the look shown in the photos here. If you want a really dark look then let the toner set for a while before wiping it off.

     5. Practice on a sample board if you are anxious about using the toner.

    6. I promise it’s easy to use and you will love the results.  I suggest wearing gloves or your hands will be toned….. and not in a good way.

     7. No sealer needed but if you want to add a little sheen then wipe on a clear wax after the toner has cured for a few days.

The following video is a complete tutorial showing how to antique furniture using toner…….

How To Antique Furniture

This technique can be used on painted cabinets, painted accessories, painted anything! Also for  shiny brass or other finishes to tone the brightness down. On slick finishes such as hardware you may need to let the toner set for a few minutes before wiping off. Play around with it. 

Check out the links below for other ideas using toner on painted furniture.

How To Make New Furniture Look Old

Vintage Dresser with a two-tone toner application.

Pair of Nightstands Painted Silver Metallic and Aged with toner.

Visit my video page for more tutorials….
Remember, if you have any questions just email me, [email protected] Have a great day, Kathy

This post was originally published on Petticoat Junktion in September 2013. The post has been updated with new information and photos.