Dry Brush Technique on a Desk and Hutch

8 Materials
$100
2 Days
Easy
Many people wonder how to do a dry brush technique on a piece of furniture. It really isn't that hard and this tutorial will give you step by step on how to do it on a desk and hutch. It even includes a video! This has been one of my favorite pieces I've painted. I really wish I would have had room in my house to keep it, but it sold very quickly. I'm so happy it sold to a family who had adopted several kids and wanted it to put in a bedroom, but once the lady saw it, she was going to display it in one of her main rooms instead to show it off. Here it is in all its glory as it goes from drab to fab!
I started the project by having this set for a long time in my living room. I just couldn't figure out how I would paint in all those cubbies. So, I finally decided to sell it to a friend who paints. And then.....I saw an inspiration piece on a set that was exactly the same and knew I had to paint it even if those cubbies were a major pain. So, I bought it back from my friend. You may not be able to tell in the photo but the top of the desk was a laminate. I had done my research and knew that wouldn't be a problem with proper preparation. As you can see, it is your standard oak.  It was time to start. Proper preparation is very important.  I cleaned the whole thing thoroughly.  We usually use a spray container with a 50/50 mix of vinegar and water or even 50/50 alcohol and water then clean and rinse well and let dry.  I then scuffed up the whole thing by hand with just 220 sandpaper, just to rough it up a little.  No major sanding needed.  Dusted and cleaned again.


I took out the drawers and decided it would be easier to take the back off the hutch to paint it.  When we did, what do you know?  All those little cubbie slats came out!  The hutch ended up being a breeze to paint, too.
The drawers I painted with a couple of coats of a light turquoise with the chalk-style paint we sell and use called Missouri Limestone Paint Company and the color is "Front Porch".  Love the name.  Doesn't it remind you of the color of the slats on the ceilings of the old farmhouse porches?  Any brand of chalk-style paint will work. I distressed the drawers a little, too.  I even painted the cute little knobs I found at a yard sale and the wooden part of the handle with the color "Harvest Pumpkin".  I did seal those with poly. The drawers have a slightly gray shading to them. I did that by rubbing them with very fine steel wool.  That really makes a nice look and a quick way to shade. You must seal it in, though.
As you can see in this photo, you can still see some of the wood under the paint.



Now on to the dry brushing technique.
I did a little video at the time to show how to dry brush, using the color "January" (white).  In this case, I wanted some of the oak showing through. The big thing is not to have too much paint on your brush and then dab most of it off.  I used a 2" chip brush with natural bristles. Fair warning - this video is in no way professional.  And yes, I sometimes paint in my dining room.  I have severe garage envy.
This hutch also had a cork board.  I painted it with a coat of Zinsser Bulls Eye Shellac first to keep the paint from soaking in too much, then painted a couple of coats of "Front Porch".
I used a little of the "Front Porch" to get into the grooves of the detail on the top of the hutch.
I also painted a chair with "Front Porch" and distressed it after the paint dried with a slightly damp scrubber sponge.  Used the scrubber to distress, then the sponge to wipe clean.


I sealed the whole piece with several coats of wax, using toulene-free Briwax.


I hope this tutorial inspires you to try dry brushing.  It is very easy to do, and the results can be spectacular.  
Resources for this project:
See all materials
Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.More info
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Comments
Join the conversation
 2 comments
Next