Cabinet Finishes
Glazing
Glazing is a classical finish that adds a beautiful aged look to furniture. This finish is an excellent way to age furniture for a more rustic decor. This technique can be used in combination with antiquing and distressing. Glazes permit the slow and gradual build up of color, which enables the creation of great depth so typical of faux finishes.
Simply defined, glazes are translucent films of colored media that are manipulated, while wet, over dried undercoats. This rather sparse definition gives no hint of the often magical colors and patterns that can be developed. By using diverse tools in novel ways, you can create patterns that vary from abstract, all-over designs through ordered, elegant graphics to simulations of nature, such as marbling and graining.
Faux Finishing can update a older piece of furniture, and add unique elegance or an old world feel to columns or mantels. The infinite combinations of pattern and color made possible by the use of glazes open a world of design choices.
Distressed Finishes
Distressing techniques (crackle finishes) give the appearance of an antique piece of furniture that has been used for generations. Distressing can be used in combination with antiquing and glazing.
Painted furniture and joinery almost always show signs of age. This is a naturally occurring process resulting from exposure to light, dampness, dust, dirt and general wear and tear over the life of the object.
The paint on these objects will fade, darken, flake or craze and can be chipped or scuffed. It’s condition largely depends on the conditions under which it is kept and maintained.
The aged effect is often aesthetically pleasing and often adds to the value of the piece. It is not surprising that painters and decorators have shown great interest in this look and have devised various ingenious techniques for artificially aging new paint work.
Antiquing
Antiquing is a technique similar to distressing, used to simulate the natural aging process. The technique uses sandpaper, tools and special glazes to distress and weather an object. The aged effect can be achieved by staining an aged, brown color or by whitewashing and wiping most of the wash off. A worn look can make an object more comfortable to live with and more relaxing to look at. The antiquing faux finish can be used on furniture, built-in cabinets, walls, and small objects.
Wood Staining & Lacquering
Wood staining and lacquering are used to create a highly polished finish. Faux wood stains and lacquer need a very smooth surface, painted with an oil-base as a base coat. White or a pastel shade are the best choice. Start with mineral spirits, oil scumble glaze, and artist’s oil in two more tones or similar colors. Let surface dry completely, varnish, sand, and varnish again to a high lustrous finish.