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You may adore a piece of furniture, but your farmhouse-styled home just doesn’t quite fit its color or design of it. You may distress it to give it a more ancient aspect, so don’t worry! Therefore, you will be able to distress your furniture like a pro whether you are a beginner or an expert do-it-yourselfer!
What are painting and distressing furniture?
It’s common practice to distress furniture to breathe fresh life into worn-out pieces of furniture. You paint your furniture, and then you remove some of the paint from specific areas, exposing the original stained wood underneath.
If you live with children, you are aware of how damaging they can be. Children will undoubtedly scratch and dent your furniture, so distressing it can help hide those blemishes.
Why should you do it?
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Furniture that has been intentionally weathered or damaged to give it an aged appearance is referred to as distressed furniture. There are many ways to create the appearance of wear and tear, some of which call for the use of sandpaper, paint strippers, and other distressing tools.
Making furniture appear worn with the distressing technique gives it a quaint, old appearance. This is a well-liked design because many people prefer the coziness of “lived-in” areas to immaculate spaces that have never been touched.
What are the benefits?
You won’t notice the inevitable wear and tear that develops over time if you order your furniture with a distressed finish, which is the biggest advantage. Dings, dents, nicks, and scratches all enhance the finish’s organic attractiveness.
Despite being the complete opposite of finishing in the conventional sense, distressing is seen as a refinishing technique. Distressing is the deliberate destruction or modification of an object’s finish to make it appear less-than-perfect, typically using sandpaper or a paint stripper.
Simple ways of painting and distressing furniture
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Painting and distressing furniture is always a nice thing to do, considering we all have furniture that will wear out in a long time ahead, so if you wish to save money and refurbish the furniture, here are the 6 simple steps for you:
1. Make Your Space Ready
Drop cloths should be spread out first, and the area should be ready. Any metal knobs or hardware should be removed from the item and stored safely and out of the way.
2. Sand the piece and clean it
The piece’s surface should be sanded. You can lightly sand unfinished furniture if it needs it. A more thorough sanding is required for objects that have been painted or treated with polyurethane in the past.
You can also round off any corners or edges that appear too sharp. Use a rag or tack cloth to clean the piece after you’ve finished sanding to get rid of any dust and debris.
3. Color the Work
You should purchase two colors of paint if you want the item to appear previously painted because the base color will show through when the top player is damaged. Use just one color of paint if you want the wood to show through. The entire piece should be painted, with a second coat if required. Give the paint time to completely dry.
4. Use steel wool and sandpaper to distress the piece.
When the piece is completely dry, you may start using steel wool and sandpaper to remove some of the paint and distress it. Use the steel wool to go over the waxed areas and expose the base color if you painted two coats.
Sandpaper can be used to cause more harm. Use steel wool and sandpaper to remove the paint from pieces with a single color to reveal the bare wood underneath. Focus on the piece’s corners and edges as you gradually distress it and add more damage until you’re satisfied with the outcome.
Before applying the finish, use a rag or tack cloth to remove any paint dust or chips.
5. Use a stain (Optional)
Applying a stain to the object will give it an antiquated appearance. Apply one application of the stain, then wipe off any extra with a rag. Rub in a straight line as opposed to in a circular motion. Give the stain time to dry.
6. Apply polyurethane to the finished piece as protection.
To seal the object and safeguard the color or colors, coat it with clear polyurethane. Reinstall any hardware and knobs after the finish has fully dried.
Are there any other tips?
One of the simplest methods for distressing wood furniture is dry brushing. For this distressing technique, all you need is a dry paintbrush, some paper towels, and the paint color you want to use.
Start by applying a standard coat of paint to the surface of your choice. Next, lightly go over the paint with a dry paintbrush. More on distressing white furniture.
Conclusion
After an exhaustive list of steps on painting and distressing furniture, you’ll understand how distressing and painting works, and the purpose of doing it. We sincerely hope this article can help you in polishing your furniture. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!