5 Tips for Antiquing & Distressing Furniture

Hello!

I’ve been asked a lot for tips for antiquing and distressing furniture. I’m certainly by no means an expert, but I have learned a few things working on projects both on and off the blog and I thought I’d share.

The following tips are for antiquing and distressing a project to look like an actual vintage or antique piece. In other words, these tips are for making a project look like what it would if the aging process happened naturally. Now, I have no problem with projects that are other than that- some I’ve seen look quite fantastic! It’s just my personal preference to keep my projects looking as authentic to a vintage or antique piece as possible.

1. Chalk paint is the best paint to use on a project you want to age and distress. 

Chalk paint (or something similar, like milk paint) is the way you want to go if you want to age and distress a project after you paint it. Not only does chalk paint give a project and aged look right off the bat, antiquing wax and distressing techniques come out much better on a chalk paint finish, hands down!

2. Use antiquing wax on inner crevices and corners.

Antiquing wax is meant to be applied in corners, crevices, etc. on a project where dust would normally catch and be hard to clean. The examples above are from my Chalk Paint Entertainment Center Makeover. One way to tell is to imagine you were trying to dust the project in question after it had been sitting in an attic for many years and covered with dust. In what areas would the dust be the hardest to clean off? That’s where you want to apply and blend the antiquing wax.

3. Distress outer edges and corners.

 
If you have a lot of detailed work on your project like the above pics from my Shabby Chic Fall Wreath Tutorial, it might be kinda confusing what to distress and what not to in order to get an authentic look. Basically, you want to distress almost everything that “sticks out.” I use the word almost because you don’t have to drive yourself crazy making sure you distress every little bump and edge. Wearing- which is what you’re trying to imitate by distressing- doesn’t occur evenly, so you should just shoot for somewhat symmetrical look (so the project doesn’t have a “lopsided” look when finished) without trying to make it exact.

4. Go with the grain on smooth or flat surfaces.

The two pictures above are from an old table I have that has naturally aged by time. You can see the aged look comes from where the paint wore off the grain in the wood. This, in my opinion, looks the most natural for distressing any flat or smooth areas. Antiquing wax can be applied in these areas, but should be wiped almost completely off to give the paint a more aged look… more than that and it can just look plain dirty!

5. Less is more!

I always feel that less is more with any project you’re trying to make look vintage or antique. In the two pics above from my Picture Frame Herb & Flower Drying Rack. I really tried to take it easy on the antiquing wax on the frame since it was a pretty simple frame with no detail work. I actually put more wax on the wire rack part where all the wires crossed because that is where the most dust would gather if this had been sitting in an attic somewhere. I really think adding a ton of wax to the frame would have been overkill, and I’m glad I didn’t!

Let me know what you think of these tips, or if you have any tips of your own to share!

Michelle