Petticoat JUNKtion
There are several special techniques to make freshly painted furniture look old.
HOW TO MAKE PAINTED FURNITURE LOOK OLD
STEP 1. SELECT THE PROPER PAINT.
When I say the proper paint I’m really referring to the paint sheen. A flat or matte finish works best for the antiquing process. Satin or eggshell can also be used with slightly different results.
STEP 2. PAINT THE FURNITURE
I love this paint. It’s really thick and you can spread it on thin or mush it on for a textured country look. The paint is made to stick to anything. It's great for painting cabinets.
STEP 3. DISTRESS THE PAINT.
The lower the number of the sandpaper the coarser the grit and the more paint it takes off. I normally use 100 or 150 to distress paint. The gray/white crazed looking part will go away…trust me.
STEP 4. APPLY TONER.
Wait until the paint has cured for at least 24 hours or maybe 3-4 days depending on the type of paint used. If the paint hasn’t dried long enough when you apply the toner and wipe it down it may remove some of the paint.
STEP 5. APPLY A DARK WAX TO MAKE
Once the toner is dry I apply a coat of Howard’s Wax in Golden Oak or Walnut using a lint free cloth. Old sheets are perfect! The wax dries in about 15 minutes then I buff it with a dry lint free rag.