Drop cloth, 150 grit sand paper, hand sander, latex paint, gloves, cotton rags, oil stain, paint thinner, brushes, stripper (optional), mask, well ventillated area.
Solid wood furniture or at least a high grade plywood tends to be the best for creating an authentic old look. There are a number of ways to get the distressed look using paint. The following is a basic step by step instruction on how to accomplish this. There are many other advanced and cool techniques for aging furniture. I will write another post on this in the next couple of days.
1/ Preparing the Surface: Remove all hardware. Tape off any glass. The surface of the piece must be shine free. If the original paint is oil, it is best to have the item stripped or at least sanded down more so than latex. The goal is to create a tooth for the latex paint to adhere to. You cannot put a latex paint over top of an oil paint. If you want to avoid using stripper, then it needs to be sanded down to roughen up the surface, then a primer can be applied. I use alot of Kilz. If you want to get down to bare wood and the paint is thick, I first use stripper and then sand off the rest. I prefer to use 180/150 grit sand paper. When working with plywood, it is very easy to break through the top layer into the glue and the other materials below. If you know your piece is plywood, then give the piece a light sand to get the shine off and then use a primer. If you know for sure the item is latex then just a light sand will do the job. Remember you need to create a non slippery surface with some "teeth" for the next layer of paint to adhere to.
2/ Applying the Paint: I use latex paint on my furniture. Brush on your first coat. I like the look of brush marks. Depending on the look you are going for, a number of paint layers of different colours may be applied. The first coat is the one that will show through the least. Crackling or applying wax between the layers will also add to the aged look. I will also toss in some sawdust to create a little texture. More paint layers gives more character. Especially when you sand through those layers.
3/ Sanding: When all your coats of paint are thoroughly dry you are able to start the distressing. Using 150 grit sandpaper, sand off all the edges where the normal wear and tear would be...around the knobs, on the corners, especially around the base. For a more worn look, bang the piece up a little more to your liking with set of old keys, a hammer, screw driver, be careful with the chains. I will quite often gouge out areas with a chisel, just be careful.
4/ Applying stain: I stain over top of the entire piece to get the look I like. The darker stains like walnut work the best. Oil stain is applied with a rag for better control. Use gloves and stain in a well ventillated area. Small brushes are used to get into the cracks. It is best to have a couple of rags when doing this. Excess stain is wiped off using paint thinner. I will leave more stain in the cracks and in the corners to give an older look. Remove stain until you get the look you like. Artists oil paints that come in the tubes have great colours for antiquing. I use black around the edges and corners for a more dramatic look.
5/ The Finish: Best to let your project dry for at least 24 hours. A water based finish may be applied or I prefer a good old wax finish. Keep to a dull finish for best results.
The red blanket box has the few extra steps involved to make this piece appear even older. As mentioned earlier, I will get to this post in the next couple of days.
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