Paint Technique: Antiquing Furniture

Antique finishes on furniture are one of the latest trends being seen everywhere! Below I have some step by step instructions on how to turn any ordinary piece of furniture into a stunning antique with just some paint and glaze!

Materials:
unfinished piece of furniture (Ikea bedside table, Aspelund, Natural)
oil-based primer
2 colors of satin-finish paint
paintbrush
stencil
small foam roller
dark paint and glaze mixture
rag
cheesecloth
polyurethane
Steps:
1. Cover an unfinished piece of furniture completely with an oil-based primer. Let dry.
2. Apply the base coat of paint. A satin finish will make applying glaze easier. Using paint with a flat finish can make the glaze blotchy. Applying paint with a paintbrush gives your piece an aged look while using a foam roller creates a smoother finish. Let dry.

3. Place the stencil in desired location, paint over it and use a damp rag to easily wipe extra paint off the satin finish basecoat. Carefully remove the stencil.

4. For the antique look, mix a glaze by adding one part dark brown paint to three parts glaze. Stir thoroughly. Brush the glaze generously across your piece. If you have a large piece of furniture, work in sections to avoid drying lines. Wipe the glaze off right away using either a rag or cheesecloth. Cheesecloth gives you a smoother finish and a rag gives you a wiping effect. Continue applying glaze and wiping it until you achieve your desired finish. If you mess up, use a damp rag and the paint will easily wipe off the satin finish basecoat.

5. Highlight all of the architectural features by taking the same glaze and brushing it into the crevices of door or drawer fronts. Wipe off excess.
6. To highlight the edges of your piece, take the brush with a little bit of glaze on the tip and running it along all of the edges at about a 45-degree angle, leaving a line of glaze.
7. After your glaze dries, add a coat of polyurethane to protect the finish.


For more information or for additional painting ideas please refer to  http://www.hgtv.com/painting/index.html