DIY vintage furniture – 3 Techniques to distressed

Vintage furniture and shabby chic are trendy and can fit perfectly in a modern setting. Every worn detail tells its own story. Antiques are often too expensive, but if you want to make antique-looking furniture yourself, there are techniques you can use. The antique look is not difficult to achieve with simple means.

Make furniture look antique

1. Use candle wax

First, give the furniture a primer and then a couple of coats of acrylic paint. Use the color that should be visible through the next layer of paint. Brown or dark cream would be a good choice. Once the paint is dry, rub candle wax on some areas, such as edges, handles or decorative elements. In this way, the next paint layer will not hold well there. Once you have painted the furniture in another color, such as white, remove the wax with steel wool to complete the antique look.

2. Use a cloth and different paint colors

In this case, you can use one or two colors. While the upper acrylic paint is still wet, wipe the surface with a cloth. Select specific areas and rub over them so the lower color shows through.

3. Create a vintage look with sandpaper

You can give a piece of furniture a distressed finish with sandpaper. This technique is fast and inexpensive, but it will not give the same detailed vintage effects as other methods. Sand the edges of pre-painted wooden furniture and any other areas of your choice. This gives the furniture an aged appearance typical of antique pieces.

Comfortable vintage wood

Green vintage bedside table

Decorative drawer handles

Create vintage effects

Sanding the edges with sandpaper