Since alot of our finds require some sort of facelift (we probably all will when we're 100+), we'll repaint, distress and glaze. I thought I might share one of our little secrets (since nobody is beating down the door to pay us for it) and show you the finished product. We purchase the gallon at Home Depot (approx $36) but sometimes you can get it in a quart also (just depends what customer 'service' technician helps you).
Start out with a freshly painted piece (picture frames are great too) and distress till the cows come home. We are very fortunate to have to use of a sign shop which has a DA sander! Gotta love those power tools.
Have a basin of clean water, clean rag (t-shirts are best), the Smoke glaze and a good quality paint brush (the cheap ones leave bristles in your work-invest in a good brush...you'll probably spend about $15 but it will pay for itself in the long run).
It's best to start in a small area (2x2) like a drawer or cabinet door, to get the feel of how this product feels.HUGE Tip: You can always add more if you like...but you can't take it away!
Brush the Glaze over the entire surface, drawer pulls too, and let it set for a couple of minutes. Submerge your rag in the water and wring out most of the water. You will then begin to wipe off the glaze (its more like dusting your furniture rather than scrubbing the toilet). When you're just moving glaze around, rinse your rag and start removing more glaze. You'll eventually wipe as much excess glaze off your piece as you prefer.
Another tip: This product dries much darker.
This particular section required Q-Tips, which i realized AFTER I started.
The end result gives you a piece that has an aged look (ya know...dirt in the cracks) and takes away that 'fresh painted' look. No offense intended for those of you who like that look.
PS: Don't forget to do the inside of the drawers and cabinets...it gives it a much more finished look.If you have any questions, please feel free to comment and i'll do my best to answer!
Off this weekend to Expo in Portland!
Happy shopping.
