Distressing -- not the emotional type, but techniques to simulate age and wear.  These "may not be your thing," but you might have a desire or need for this type of finishing technique on a special project.  Again, three types, and three variations of each:

 

1. Physical distressing.  This is "damaging" the underlying wood.  Some of the things that you can do are

• worm holes and tunnels
• dents and dings
• rough spots

 

You can buy or make tools to do these.   Some of the ones I've seen look like medieval torture instruments.  You can make your own by mauls with nails protruding, or a ring of assorted hardware like nuts, keys, and eye bolts of assorted sizes.  Whack away.  Worm holes you can make with an awl or finish nail.

 

Rough spots might simulate saw marks or wear along the edges of pieces.  You can use a rasp or wire brush for these.

 

Just don't over-do physical distressing, a little goes a long way and it's easier to add more than take some away.  I've always thought if you make a piece of furniture from pine, you should physically distress it.  It's going to get dented, not if, but when.   A new dent will blend in easier to a distressed finish than just one or two dents in a pristine finish.

 

 

2. Finish distressing.   This is highlighting the finish by adding color.  Three common types are

• Cow tails
• Fly specs
• Dirtying up

I like to use a glaze product for these, that is added between coats of finish. 

 

For cow-tails, I take a piece of twine about 6 or 8 inches long, dip one end in glaze and slap it onto the finish.  

 

 

 

Fly specs I do with an old toothbrush, dip in the glaze and run your finger over the bristles to spritz it on.  You can buy a special spray gun for this (I don't do that much of it).

 

 

Dirtying up is adding a glaze to add dark to areas that would normally accumulate "dirt" -- concave areas such as moldings, carvings, grooves, and joints between panels and rails and stiles.  It will also accentuate your physical distressing.

 

 

3. Paint distressing.   These are techniques to make a painted finish look old.

• Crackle finish
• Layers
• Wear through

 

Crackle finishes are  made to look like cracked and aged finish.  There are special crackle products you can buy.  But an easier way for the non-production craftsman is to use water-based finish.  Put on a coat of a contrasting finish (or a stained finish).  Then brush on a thin coat of hide glue and let it dry.   Apply a contrasting color top coat.   The water in the finish will reactivate the hide glue and make it swell.   When it dries, it will shrink back and crackle.   Experiment on scrap to get the desired degree of crackle.

 

 

Layers use a glaze top coat to alter the color and highlight concave areas similar to glazing on a "dirtied up" piece.  Or you can also use a contrasting paint color applied lightly.

 

 

Wear through again use layered contrasting paint colors and either wear through or lightly apply the top layer in areas.  Typical spots are around the edges of doors and table tops, around handles and pulls, etc.  Places that would receive wear.

 

(c) 2018, Keith Mealy

 

 

More on this topic

https://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-how-to/finishes-finishing/create-instant-antiques-with-distressing-techniques?cid=273241&did=273241-20180816&mid=14563372399&utm_campaign=wood_weeklyupdate_081618&utm_medium=email&utm_source=wdm-newsletter

 

and in case it goes 404 --- Create Instant Antiques with Distressing Techniques.pdf

Thanks, Keith.

Never had much of a problem getting fly specs around my place, bigger problem is preventing them. I have seen that last trick and hope to try it someday along with the "dirtying up" stuff.

Edited August 17, 20187 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr