Paint Techniques – Ageing.

Ageing.  
Distressed and aged painted furniture is commonly referred to as ‘shabby chic’. Various techniques are used to give a relatively new furniture piece a finish that recreates the look of old peeling paint. Over the years bright colours fade and bright white paint slowly becomes cream. Residues of wax, dirt or dust are lodged in small scratches and in the curves of carvings.  All of this results in a piece that is full of character and charm.


 Reproduce Wear and Tear.
You are essentially replicating the scratches, scrapes and knocks a piece of furniture would get after being around for a generation or two. Think about how furniture gets worn by everyday use; chairs fall over, a chest of drawers is knocked by an overzealous vacuum cleaner, armrests are worn down by constant use… All the things that would make you cringe when it happens to your new furniture piece –that first bump and scrape during a move, that is what you will now be doing out of choice to achieve a “distressed” look. Use sandpaper to sand away the wood on areas that would naturally be time-worn. Use a hammer or mallet to create soft impressions on table surfaces to mimic knocks.  A chisel and hammer can be used to hit chips into the wood. As brutal as it may sound, indentations are created by attaching a variety of nuts, bolts and washers to a length of chain and slamming the chain into the wood.  Anything that makes a mark will successfully age wooden furniture.  A wire brush can be used to mimic scratches on areas that would normally come into contact with shoes.

 Get Going.
After sanding and otherwise distressing your piece of furniture it is time to begin the next step. Wipe all surfaces down with a soft, damp cloth to remove any unwanted dust. Begin by apply a thin coat of primer across the entire surface. To ensure best results, allow the primer to dry before you begin painting.  Choose two colours that you want to use on your project. Decide which colour will serve as the top coat, this colour will be the most visible. Use a small roller to apply a thin layer of the paint to the furniture. Allow to dry. Decide on where you want the paint to peel or appear worn. A layer of soap, candle wax or petroleum jelly should then be rubbed onto the surface of the furniture in these areas. Apply your second colour using a clean roller, keeping the layers thin and relatively even.  Once dry, sand the surface of the furniture once more. This time paying particular attention to the areas covered in soap, wax or petroleum jelly. The soap, wax or petroleum jelly will come away from the surface, along with the top coat of paint, revealing the first colour underneath.
 Petroleum Jelly.
Petroleum jelly or Vaseline™ is applied to edges and surfaces that you’d like to distress or where paint would naturally peel or wear. Use a finger, a sponge or a small paintbrush to apply the petroleum jelly.  Paint a coat of paint onto the surface, allowing it to dry overnight. Using a clean, soft cloth, rub the surfaces of the painted item to “peel” paint off on coated areas. Make sure to remove all petroleum jelly using kitchen towel to blot up any excess oiliness as this will act as a resist for any other paint or varnish you try to apply afterwards.

Wax or Soap.
Wax is also commonly used to achieve an aged look on furniture. Any wax, from crayons to leftover candles will work for this purpose.  Once the base coat of paint is dry, rub the edges and any raised areas of the furniture with wax. As with the petroleum jelly method, all wax needs to be thoroughly removed before continuing with any other paint or varnish finishes. Use a cool iron and paper towels to absorb any excess wax.  A bar of pure soap can also be used as a resist layer for this technique.

Preparation is Key.
Preparation of the surface to be painted can be a time-consuming and monotonous process but it is also the most important part of the job.
Wait for everything to be totally dry before putting anything onto your newly painted and distressed furniture piece to avoid damaging the newly painted surfaces.
Visit www.paint360.co.za expert advice, the right product at the right price on the above mentioned topic(s) and other DIY projects.