My Secret to Glazing Cabinets etc...

I make rustic furniture for my small local business.  For several years I have used this simple recipe for beautifully antiqued looking wood. I have a secret "antiquing/glazing" technique that I am going to share with you.

I find that light color paints are especially hard to "glaze" so I've tried several methods to get the glazed and antiqued look just right.

This is what works best for me.

~~~My secret weapon~~~

Generic Baby Oil!

I recently glazed cream color cabinets for a client of mine.

Here's how:



Once the cabinets are painted I take my hand sander with 120 grit paper.

Carefully sand small areas where the cabinets might naturally wear over time.

Once the desired amount of wood is showing through use a tack cloth to clean the cabinets of dust.

Next - use a very small paint brush to apply ebony or walnut stain to the exposed wood and to the turned part of the cabinet creases (a little goes a long way). Only do one door or drawer at a time - otherwise this method won't work. You must work quickly.

After you apply the stain use baby oil on an old T-shirt and wipe (with pressure) the stained areas until the stain color is all blended. Practice your technique on a low drawer or door first so you can get a feel for how quickly you have to work and how much pressure you'll need to apply to get the stain to "move" around.

Once you have blended the stain your cabinet should look something like this:

Let the stain dry for a day or two before sealing with poly.  Make sure the cabinets are clean and free of oil before applying any sealer.

I have tried using glaze mixed with a small amount of stain and I always come up with a pink or purple hue. This "baby oil technique" is easier and leaves your cabinets the true color you wanted them - with a bit of rustic accent.

I use this technique for furniture and anything wood that I want to look aged or antiqued.

It's been my secret recipe for beautifully antiqued wood pieces...

Now it's yours.

Happy Glazing

For more distressing and aging techniques I use CLICK HERE
and HERE

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