How to Distress Cabinets
Protect your work area., Remove knobs, handles, and any other hardware., Sand down the entire surface of the cabinet using a 60 to 80 grit sandpaper.This is necessary for painted, varnished, and even unpainted cabinets., Vacuum your work area and...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Protect your work area.
If your cabinet is a standalone piece, try to move it outside.
If the cabinet is attached to the wall, cover your floors and counters with a painter's cloth or a cheap, plastic tablecloth.
Move anything that might get stained by paint to a safer place.
This method is suitable for painted, varnished, and unpainted cabinets.
It will be easier on an unpainted cabinet, however. -
Step 2: Remove knobs
Put them inside a box or a plastic, re-sealable bag so that they all stay together.
Consider taping the screws to their corresponding hinges, knobs, and handles. , It roughs up the surface and gives the stain and paint something to stick to.
Your weathering will last a lot longer as a result.If you are working on a painted or varnished cabinet, keep sanding the until the raw wood starts to show.
These areas will eventually get the stain, so the more you sand, the more weathered your cabinet will look. , Get out your vacuum cleaner, and vacuum the floor.
Wipe down the cabinets with a tack cloth.
Follow up with a damp cloth.
If your cabinets are in the kitchen, consider using an ammonia-based household cleaner or a degrease to get rid of any oil residue.
Make sure you get rid of all the sawdust.
Any dust that remains will get into your stain and/or paint, and mar the surface.You'll get a messy finish instead of a weathered one. , This includes glass paneling and the edges of the walls around your cabinets.
Not only will you be keeping these areas safe and clean, but you'll also get nice, crisp lines later on. , This is the color that will peek through your paint after you "weather" it:
You may need two to three layers of stain.
Be sure to let each layer dry before applying the next.
Consider going over the cabinet with a steel wire brush first.
This will open up the wood grain and help the stain and/or paint to soak in better., It’s easiest to do this with a bristly paintbrush.
This will protect the stain from the paint.
The paint won't stick to these areas.
When you are done painting, these areas will show through as "Weathering."Try to keep these areas random but keep in mind that most weathering will occur on corners and edges. , It is better to apply many thin coats than one thick coat; it will give you the smoothest finish and lessens the appearance of brushstrokes.
Most paints will dry to the touch and be ready for another coat in 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Check the label on your can. , Use 220 grit sandpaper this time.
It will smooth down any brush strokes, and remove the excess wax or petroleum jelly.
When you are done, vacuum your floor up and wipe the cabinet down with a tack cloth.
You can also use a steel wool pad to rub at the areas with the wax/petroleum jelly.
This lets the stain show through. , If you really want to give your cabinets that old look, you'll need some antiquing glaze.
Get out a clean rag and dip it into the glaze.
You don't need a lot—a small amount will go a long way.
Next, rub the glaze onto the cabinet using a small, circular motion.
Let the glaze dry for the time specified by the manufacturer's directions.
If you want a crackly look, use a crackle glaze instead.
For large, wide cracks, apply a thick coat.
For finer, more spidery cracks, apply a thinner coat.
Once the cabinet is covered in glaze, you can smooth out the circular marks with a clean rag.
Wipe the glaze up and down or side-to-side to get a lined look.
If you’d like to darken the edges or small corners, apply the glaze using a small brush. , With a rag wrapped around your finger, wipe away any glaze that’s inadvertently gotten in places you wish it weren’t.
After this stage, allow your cabinets to dry before adding a topcoat.
It's best to wait 24 hours, or at the very least overnight.
You don't want to the two coats meshing together and marring your artwork.
All the rags you've used should be washed together but separate from your other linens in your washing machine in case the glaze stains. , If you can, try to find a sealer that is non-yellowing.
A good sealer to use is a polycrylic sealer.
Avoid using polyurethane, if you can, as those tend to yellow over time.How long the coats take to dry will depend on the sealer itself.
Most sealers will dry within 2 to 3 hours, but you might want to refer to the label for more specific drying times.
Check the label to make sure yours is non-yellowing.
Some sealers need a curing period as well.
This can take several hours to a few days.
Do not get impatient or try to rush through.
If you don't let your work cure properly, you'll get a sticky, tacky, gummy finish. , Check the label on the can that your sealer came in.
Some sealers need a few days' curing time.
This means that until they fully cure, the sealer will be sticky.
During this time, you will want to leave the cabinets open so that they don't "glue shut.
Once the sealer is fully dry and/or cured, you can replace the hinges, knobs, and handles. -
Step 3: handles
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Step 4: and any other hardware.
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Step 5: Sand down the entire surface of the cabinet using a 60 to 80 grit sandpaper.This is necessary for painted
-
Step 6: varnished
-
Step 7: and even unpainted cabinets.
-
Step 8: Vacuum your work area and wash the cabinets down to get rid of any dust.
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Step 9: Mask off the areas you do not want to be painted with painter's tape.
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Step 10: Rub a stain or glaze into the surface of the wood using a piece of cloth.
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Step 11: Apply wax or petroleum jelly to the areas you want to distress.
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Step 12: Apply a few coats of acrylic or latex furniture-grade paint
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Step 13: letting each layer to dry in between.
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Step 14: Lightly sand the cabinet again once the paint is fully dry
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Step 15: and be sure to remove all the dust.
-
Step 16: Consider applying some antiquing glaze for an aged look.
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Step 17: Remove excess glaze
-
Step 18: if necessary.
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Step 19: Apply three coats of a clear sealer
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Step 20: allowing each coat dry before applying the next one.
-
Step 21: Make sure that the sealer has fully cured before you replace the hardware on the cabinets.
Detailed Guide
If your cabinet is a standalone piece, try to move it outside.
If the cabinet is attached to the wall, cover your floors and counters with a painter's cloth or a cheap, plastic tablecloth.
Move anything that might get stained by paint to a safer place.
This method is suitable for painted, varnished, and unpainted cabinets.
It will be easier on an unpainted cabinet, however.
Put them inside a box or a plastic, re-sealable bag so that they all stay together.
Consider taping the screws to their corresponding hinges, knobs, and handles. , It roughs up the surface and gives the stain and paint something to stick to.
Your weathering will last a lot longer as a result.If you are working on a painted or varnished cabinet, keep sanding the until the raw wood starts to show.
These areas will eventually get the stain, so the more you sand, the more weathered your cabinet will look. , Get out your vacuum cleaner, and vacuum the floor.
Wipe down the cabinets with a tack cloth.
Follow up with a damp cloth.
If your cabinets are in the kitchen, consider using an ammonia-based household cleaner or a degrease to get rid of any oil residue.
Make sure you get rid of all the sawdust.
Any dust that remains will get into your stain and/or paint, and mar the surface.You'll get a messy finish instead of a weathered one. , This includes glass paneling and the edges of the walls around your cabinets.
Not only will you be keeping these areas safe and clean, but you'll also get nice, crisp lines later on. , This is the color that will peek through your paint after you "weather" it:
You may need two to three layers of stain.
Be sure to let each layer dry before applying the next.
Consider going over the cabinet with a steel wire brush first.
This will open up the wood grain and help the stain and/or paint to soak in better., It’s easiest to do this with a bristly paintbrush.
This will protect the stain from the paint.
The paint won't stick to these areas.
When you are done painting, these areas will show through as "Weathering."Try to keep these areas random but keep in mind that most weathering will occur on corners and edges. , It is better to apply many thin coats than one thick coat; it will give you the smoothest finish and lessens the appearance of brushstrokes.
Most paints will dry to the touch and be ready for another coat in 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Check the label on your can. , Use 220 grit sandpaper this time.
It will smooth down any brush strokes, and remove the excess wax or petroleum jelly.
When you are done, vacuum your floor up and wipe the cabinet down with a tack cloth.
You can also use a steel wool pad to rub at the areas with the wax/petroleum jelly.
This lets the stain show through. , If you really want to give your cabinets that old look, you'll need some antiquing glaze.
Get out a clean rag and dip it into the glaze.
You don't need a lot—a small amount will go a long way.
Next, rub the glaze onto the cabinet using a small, circular motion.
Let the glaze dry for the time specified by the manufacturer's directions.
If you want a crackly look, use a crackle glaze instead.
For large, wide cracks, apply a thick coat.
For finer, more spidery cracks, apply a thinner coat.
Once the cabinet is covered in glaze, you can smooth out the circular marks with a clean rag.
Wipe the glaze up and down or side-to-side to get a lined look.
If you’d like to darken the edges or small corners, apply the glaze using a small brush. , With a rag wrapped around your finger, wipe away any glaze that’s inadvertently gotten in places you wish it weren’t.
After this stage, allow your cabinets to dry before adding a topcoat.
It's best to wait 24 hours, or at the very least overnight.
You don't want to the two coats meshing together and marring your artwork.
All the rags you've used should be washed together but separate from your other linens in your washing machine in case the glaze stains. , If you can, try to find a sealer that is non-yellowing.
A good sealer to use is a polycrylic sealer.
Avoid using polyurethane, if you can, as those tend to yellow over time.How long the coats take to dry will depend on the sealer itself.
Most sealers will dry within 2 to 3 hours, but you might want to refer to the label for more specific drying times.
Check the label to make sure yours is non-yellowing.
Some sealers need a curing period as well.
This can take several hours to a few days.
Do not get impatient or try to rush through.
If you don't let your work cure properly, you'll get a sticky, tacky, gummy finish. , Check the label on the can that your sealer came in.
Some sealers need a few days' curing time.
This means that until they fully cure, the sealer will be sticky.
During this time, you will want to leave the cabinets open so that they don't "glue shut.
Once the sealer is fully dry and/or cured, you can replace the hinges, knobs, and handles.
About the Author
Nancy Jimenez
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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