Distressing Kitchen CabinetsUse this Easy Technique for Great Results!
 Do you want to create 'distressed look' kitchen cabinets and give a whole new look to your kitchen or other areas? There are various and numerous methods of aging or distressing kitchen cabinets. Mostly these involve removing layers of paint in uneven patches, leaving remnants of layers that show different colors, or even bare wood beneath. The aim is to have a 'look' that is rustic, imperfect and aged.  Have you seen those 'distressed' pieces in trendy furniture shops where the method used has obviously been to press imprints carefully equidistant from one another, into the timber or wood, with an instrument ? This unimaginative and very unsubtle look is not what we are after! We want to end up with kitchen cabinets that are very authentic looking and appear as though they have aged naturally over the decades. You don't achieve this by attacking the cabinetry with a sledge-hammer, either! Sandpaper and paint stripper are used to get rid of old paint and to get back to the bare wood. The finished piece can be refinished with glaze (thinned paint) or varnish, if wanted.  Can I be successful at distressing kitchen cabinets myself?Yes, you can easily do this! This is a good 'finishing' technique for beginners and as long as you are accepting of how your piece will turn out, you can have a lot of fun creating a set of antique-looking cabinetry in your kitchen. You'll need sandpaper of differing grades of coarseness, brushes and some light colored paints. All available from your local hardware store. These techniques can be applied to many surfaces such as wood, metal, stone, concrete, plaster and paint. The Shabby-Chic style has made antiquing techniques very popular. And, these cabinets look great in a country style or rustic kitchen along with the right' accessories.  TechniquesDeliberately sand, dent, scrape and gauge out little dents and holes in the cabinet faces and tops. To distress the wood, you can use a chain or other metal instruments to throw against the wood, a screwdriver to gauge, a medium sized hammer to implement dents. Keep sanding in between these activities. Now you can use the stain or varnish you've chosen to highlight and add gloss to the wood. You'll find that a light colored varnish, such as a marine varnish, will look wonderful as it will bring out all the beauty of the grain of the wood as well as having the added bonus of being waterproof.
You can buy antiquing paints and varnishes to apply on the top in layers or patches, one layer above the last. To add to the aging look, dilute the colors with thinners or water. As the paint dries, keep sanding little areas to give a worn finish. Why not add a crackle varnish as the last layer - this will give an antique appearance. Take some off again with a light sand in a few places to show how the cabinet has been worn. When finished, you can put on wrought iron knobs or handles in any style you'd like to finish the cabinets.
By following these techniques, you'll have beautiful distressed kitchen cabinets for your country style kitchen and you'll be very pleased with the look you have achieved!
Here are all the principles and elements of design for you to check BEFORE you start!More of the elements of design to help you plan any type of kitchen remodel
How to use this technique for aging cabinetry |
