What is the best way to refinish furniture to get a "distressed" look?

Kelly Kinne
by Kelly Kinne
  2 answers
  • Dysko7710 Dysko7710 on Jun 06, 2017

    Two ways I have done are as follows:

    First way:

    1. Paint your piece, I like chalk paint for distressing, it goes on with no prep and lends itself well to the distressed look. You want to have a base color, this will be the color that comes through when you distress.

    2. Let this dry and then apply your top color (can also be chalk paint), let this dry.

    2. Then take a piece of sand paper and sand all of the parts you want to look distressed. Along edges, places where it would get naturally worn, and the sand paper takes off the top layer of paint in those places. Sand lightly.

    Second way:

    1. Paint with your base coat. Let dry.

    2. Wipe vaseline on all of the parts where you want the distressing to happen.

    3. Paint the entire piece with top color, including painting over the vaseline, you will notice it does not completely cover the vaseline, this is good.

    4. Let it dry. Then take a rag and wipe off all of the vaseline and those parts will all come out distressed. Good luck!

    • Kelly Kinne Kelly Kinne on Jun 06, 2017

      Thank you very much! Those are great!!! And sound easy enough even for me!!

  • Shoshana Shoshana on Jun 06, 2017

    Chalk paint is a good medium to use to get the distressed look.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh54s25K_G0