Making a distressed finish on furniture is a very popular way to dress up those old furniture pieces in the garage or attic or something you might find at the Goodwill store. What a great way to save money ... and the look is so great!

One of my favorites is to use a crackled finish to age the piece or a section of it. There are several types of crackle finished available and you want to be sure you get the kind you need.

In almost any hobby or art supply store you will find a brand that will do either large or small crackles. These types of finishes work best on something you can lay down and not on walls or anything that has to stay vertical while you are working.

With some crackles, the base color of the piece will be what shows through the cracks and will serve as the accent color. There are some that the base color is the main color. You can tell which you have by reading the instructions. If your crackle product is colored, it will be the main color. If your product is clear, your main color is the one you paint on (or what is already there).

Ths first thing you have to do is prepare the surface. If it has a painted surface of the right color, you will just have to clean it down with vinegar water and rinse well.

If it has areas that must be smoothed a bit or if you want to change the base color, you will need to sand first. You may as well sand lightly over the whole thing to give your paint something to hold onto.

You may now paint the entire area you want to crackle. Let it dry throughly. Apply your crackle medium over the base paint and let it dry according to the instructions. Do not worry if you don't see crackles now. They may come later with some products.

When it is dry, you will do one of two things, according to your product's instructions:

1. Paint over the crackle with another color and watch as the crackle appears.

2. Use your antiquing or accent color thinned down or use a stain product which will sink into the crackles of the finish and give it an antiqued look.

In any case, be careful to follow the instructions on your product and know how it is going to work before you begin.

You should be able to create a new look for $10 or less, depending on whether or not you have to buy the base paint or accent paint. I often use acrylic bottle paints for accents. You can also use several colors in the base coat for a more interesting look if the top coat is a solid color and not just an antiquing.

Try this out and see! It will look great! This is one you can not really mess up.

Happy Painting,
Paula Devore

This is off-topic and I won't do this often, but I believe in natural products and natural remedies, so I just wanted to let you know about a wonderful place to get your natural supplements and natural help for health problems. I have been ordering from Progressive Health for over 2 years and have had wonderful results. Give them a visit:

Visit Progressive Health