A lot of people have been asking me how to distress furniture, what paint to use, or the best method behind the madness. So here I am, at 11:29 P.M. breaking it all down for you-- the easy way! Who doesn't love the easy way out I mean am I right?! Anyway... below you will find some simple steps to get your booty in the crafting mood!
Step 1. Examine your flea market find!
Before you get started, do a little checkup on the condition of your piece of furniture. You need to know if its real wood, or if you have any loose ends you want to tie up before bringing out the color. Fix whats needed and move forward with the process.
Step 2. Sanding!
Oh boy, this is the worst part. You have to make sure that you get a smooth surface free of any top coats or old paint. The sanding process is needed so that the new paint will stick to the furniture. Trust me, I've tried cutting corners and this cannot be one of them. You can sand with any type paper it really doesn't matter. Just make sure you have broken the surface of the old paint, stain, top coat, sealer, etc. Personally I use an electric sander because it makes the entire process a little faster and I have the upper body strength of a kitten and cannot even bare to do it by hand.
Step 3. Color Baby!
This is the super fun part! Color choices. Here is where most people try to sell you something. Like the $8 million dollar name brand chalk paint that is supposed to work miracles. Don't fall for that trap! Wanna know a secret? You can make your own chalk type paint! Its not chalk, but it has the same matte finish as the name brand for a fraction of the cost. Your wallet will thank me later. My favorite brands of paint are the Martha Stewart colors and Valspar that is found at Lowe's. Once you have your fab color choice, mix together 1 cup of your paint to 1/2 cup of baking soda. If the mixture is a little too thick add in a couple tablespoons of vodka. Just kidding, water. I have found that this can be a bit thick at times but don't you sweat it. Paint your pretty piece and let it dry overnight!
Step 4. Distressing
Grab a loose piece of sandpaper, say a prayer that your hands don't cramp up, and get to lightly sanding some areas of the furniture to get that rugged and worn look. You can distress it as much or as little as you like, it really depends on the look your going for. The most common places I sand are edges of any sort, corners, and any detail the piece may have. This is the part where it all comes together and you feel like a total achiever, like when Elle Woods got her LSAT scores sent back to the sorority house and was all like "Omg I'm going to Harvard!". You may want to lightly and I mean LIGHTLY sand the entire piece if you have some rough spots from the chalk paint mixture, it's really just your call.
Step 5. Seal the deal
So Johnson makes this awesome furniture wax that seals your pretty project up without making it all glossy. Its a wax, so you literally have to karate kid it, and wax on and wax off. The best part is knowing you won't have any further scratches and that the wax doesn't take away from the matte look of the chalk paint.
And there you have it! You've just created a beautiful piece of furniture! Send me some pictures so I can share them on this blog! I would love to see what you guys do.
xoxo
Kate
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