Three Techniques to Distress Wood

Can’t find the perfect piece? Don’t stress – distress! Learn three techniques to distress wood in this Lowe’s video:

Rugged, rustic, weathered, distressed – whatever you call it, it’s on trend – and you can get in on it with these easy techniques.

Vintage look: To get this white, weathered and worn look, apply a coat of white paint to unfinished furniture and then sand away some of the paint on areas where it would naturally occur, as on edges and curves. When finished, you will have furniture that looks like it has been handed down through generations.

Layered look: This aged look is result of layers of paint. The furniture should look like it has been painted over many times. Choose at least two colors, more if you’re more daring. Paint the furniture entirely in one color and let dry before applying the next color. Sand away some of the top coat until the lower layer shows through.

Distressed look: Another way to make furniture look old is to add the wear and tear yourself. Add dings, dents and scratches with a hammer, chains, nails, screwdriver or any kind of tool. Keep the look random and avoid making patterns. Complete the antiqued look by applying a mix of stains to create depth and contrast,