Natwerk Designs

I would like to distress some old chairs can someone tell me how?

I want to make some old chairs look distressed and have no idea how to do it simply and cheaply. These are just old wooden chairs and I am going to use them in my country kitchen. Help me if you know how to do this PLEASE!!!!!

Public Comments

1. If they are already painted, just lightly go over them with some sand paper to remove paint and speed up the aging process. There is also special paint you can buy in home improvement or craft stores that will give the effect of cracked paint. Try this source for more infor: http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/diy_kits/article/0,2019,DIY_13787_2276066,00.html
2. You can distress by getting a rubber mallet & different shaped objects. Everything from different sized nails; rocks; old chains; a hammer...& start by laying the different nails & chains & stuff on the chair while you hit them with the mallet hard enough to make an impression but not so hard that you pound the nail into the wood. This will give the wood different marks & scrathces & scrapes to give it that distressed look your after. You can be creative & try different objects, & different degrees of hitting. You could also try splashing different colored paint on it, or sanding here & there to give it a more weathered look.
3. Put on fire claim a large insurance buy new chairs of latest fashion.
4. Very cheap way here. Paint the chairs the color you want them, then sand in all area's that would have naturally been worn. The seat, top of rails, backs, bottom of legs, etc...Then use a wood stain, I use golden oak, anything if you already have some.Apply it and wipe it off. There you have it, your distressed chairs!!! Looks like they just come out of the 1800's! Have fun!!!!
5. Temporarily loan them to a local Fraterity House for 3mos.
6. sand the edges and if you want you can use stain on them. my mom did that to some cabinets. i think she watered down the stain. i would check hgtv.com or something to see if they have any suggestions. but basically she just wiped the stain on with a rag and then wiped some of it off so that it most of it is in the little crevaces and low spots. it looks good. but definitely check out the HGTV website or search yahoo on distressing techniques PS - wankasahab, that's ridiculous. distressed, or antiqued, wood IS in fashion in decorating. and why go buy new stuff when you can make your old stuff look cool. not only do you save money, but it's fun and you feel proud when you finish.
7. yes dab on or spray crackle glaze on or paint an odd color in patches and sand and slap a hammer down into th wood enough to mark also sray clear satin urethane on top of the distressed chairs to make them glow also in england they have a product called white or pickieing wax rub that on in spots to lime the section white but opahic, an old painter