How to Glaze

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Choose your piece of furniture.

   Glazing is best done on antique looking pieces with nicks, carving or other details, rather than flat, modern pieces.
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   Step 2: Decide if you want to sand the piece or not.

   Sanding will even out the piece of furniture and prep it for painting.
   
   However, it can also remove some of the distressed portions that give the glazing character.
   
   If you do plan to sand, use 120-grit sandpaper.
   
   You don’t want the sandpaper to be too coarse. , This will create a durable base coat for the furniture.
   
   You can purchase primer in a spray can or in liquid, paint-like form., You will want to choose white, ivory, tan, blue or another light color.
   
   The glaze will always be darker, so you will need to ensure it will show up on your piece of furniture.
   
   You can use paint or spray paint from your local hardware store.
   
   Keep in mind that the more you plan to use the piece of furniture, the more coats of primer and paint you should use.
   
   Allow the paint to cure overnight after you apply the last coat., There are two ways to do this: ask the hardware store to mix it with your favorite paint color or do it yourself.
   
   Choose a dark color, such as black, brown, dark red or dark blue, to color your glaze.
   
   To mix the glaze yourself, grab a yogurt container or plastic cup.
   
   Pour one cup of opaque glaze into the cup.
   
   Then, add several squirts or one tablespoon of your dark paint.
   
   Mix with a chopstick or paint stirrer.Add more paint as needed to achieve a dark color.
   
   This is the color that will remain in the molding or crevices on your furniture. , Apply it to one leg or portion of the furniture.
   
   Work in no more than one-foot sections at a time, so that you can complete the section before the glaze dries.
   
   The advantage of using glaze instead of paint is that glaze takes longer to dry than paint, so you can create the look you want without risk of it drying before you perfect it.
   
   You have about 10 to 20 minutes to work on one area.Work the glaze into the crevices and carving.
   
   Spend plenty of time getting it into these areas, because that is where the glaze will remain when you wipe the rest of it off the furniture. , Use the rag method if you want a “dirtier” look or you want to use more glaze, because it will be harder to wipe off to the original base color.
   
   Use baby wipes if you want to remove as much glaze from the top of the furniture.
   
   Wipe in clean, straight strokes.
   
   Don’t get the rag or wipe into the crevices, because you want the glaze to remain in these areas.
   
   Try to get the glaze off the surface of the furniture.
   
   Then, replace your rag or wipe with another when it becomes too covered with glaze to wipe off completely. , When you have completed the entire piece of furniture, let it sit overnight.
   
   Reassess the piece to see if you need to apply more glaze for darker accents.
   
   You can apply a second coat of glaze in exactly the same way you did the first coat.
   
   The more coats of glaze you apply, the more dramatic the carving and crannies will look.
   
   You can do the whole top, side or back of a piece at once.
   
   The more detailed the piece of furniture is, the more you will need to break the work down into smaller areas. , Apply two coats to ensure it is durable.
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   Step 3: Prime the piece of furniture before you paint.

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   Step 4: Paint the furniture a light color.

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   Step 5: Mix a cup of glaze.

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   Step 6: Dip a foam paintbrush into the glaze.

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   Step 7: Wipe the glaze off with a damp discarded rag or baby wipes.

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   Step 8: Continue glazing the furniture in one-foot areas.

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   Step 9: Spray a clear poly coat sealer to seal in the glaze.

Detailed Guide

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