How to Make New Look Old

Giving new items a patina of age - a vintage look - is easy if you have the right products and we show you how...

28/10/2019

Being able to give new items a patina of age - a vintage effect - is a wonderful way to add decor that looks like it has been there forever. And it's so easy to make new look old with a few products and simple paint effects.

 

 

 

 

YOU WILL NEED:

Wood stain in your choice of tint - we use imbuia

Paint stain - we used green and dark red

Wax candle

Vaseline jelly

Wood filler, dark

Mineral turpentine

Steel wool, fine

Acrylic paint in two complementary colours and suitable for exterior - we used a dark brown and dusty pink

Old rags

TOOLS:

Spatula

Paint scraper

Paintbrush

Plastic bowl

Hammer and wood chisel

 

HERE'S HOW:

1. We started with a plain pine door. To begin, pour a small amount of imbuia wood stain into your plastic bowl. Thin the stain slightly with a bit of mineral turpentine. This makes it more runny and the wood can absorb the wood stain much better.

2. Apply the wood stain over the entire surface (back and front) and leave to dry for the specified amount of time. If necessary, you can add another coat until you are happy with the finished colour.

3. Using the dark red and green paint stain, drip a few random drops over the surface.

4. Use a dry paintbrush to rub the stain into the surface of the wood. This will be beneficial in adding the patina of age.

5. Take some wood filler and apply to the surface of the door with a spatula. Apply randomly over the surface to add extra texture. Go with the direction of the wood grain. Leave to dry once you are happy with the result.

GOOD TO KNOW: For even more texture you can use a hammer and chisel, as well as the paint scraper to make dents, scratches and dings in the wood.

6. For the distressed effect, apply Vaseline jelly to the surface with your fingers. This distressed effect would normally occur in areas that have the most wear, such as grooves and edges.

 

 

 

 

7. Use the wax candle to rub hard at random places over the surface of the door and around the edges.

GOOD TO KNOW: Where the Vaseline jelly and candle wax are rubbed will prevent the paint from adhering to the surface and add the aged-paint look.

8. For best effect you will need to apply a fairly thick coat of acrylic paint over the wood filler, Vaseline and wax to cover the entire door. Use both the dark brown and dusty pink colours. Leave the paint to dry overnight.

GOOD TO KNOW: Paint some parts of the door in one colour and others in the alternative shade, blending these two together.

9. Use a paint scraper to remove the paint where the Vaseline Jelly and candle wax were applied. Both should remove paint easily.

10. Remove any remaining paint with steel wool. Clean the surface with your paintbrush and you aged door is finished!

Referenced from Gallo images / IDEAS Magazine

 

 

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