Wood Distressing Tips

I remember when I was in high school it was so cool to buy “distressed” jeans. I now know why my mom looked at me like I was crazy when I wanted $75 jeans that were already ripped! It does seem kind of silly, but I love distressing. Distressing furniture that is! Today I’m sharing some of my wood distressing tips.

For starters I’ve shared some (most) of my tips with Matt & Libby on KPVI More! 

 One of the techniques I didn’t get to in the segment is crackling. It takes a new wood and make it look like it has been painted multiple times and is cracking through. It is super simple and has a gorgeous effect.

First start with a clean wood finish. Paint the underlying color on first. Let it dry completely. Apply a crackle paint. I use Martha Stewart Craft’s crackle paint. Be liberal with the crackle paint. Let it dry. Then in nice long strokes apply the top color. Try not to brush over places that have been painted. This can ruin the crackle effect. So take nice long strokes in a row. Let it dry and a beautiful crackled project will shine through.

A second easy way to distress wood, is with Distress Ink pads. They come in all sorts of colors and are easy to apply. Read more about how to use them in my DIY Crate Bookcase tutorial.

Stain is a great way to give wood a vintage flair. After painting rub a small amount of stain on with a sock or rag. It will “age” the wood. I love the look it gave this simple white quote frame. 

Be sure to sand the edges first. Go crazy for it or just do a little. It also adds to the distressing when stain is applied over the sanded edges.

Lastly, make sure to finish your distress wood with a finish that is compatible with the stain used. This tip is especially important if the piece you are distressing will be used a lot. Otherwise all the distressing work could be ruined if it isn’t finished with a polyurethane or polyacrylic finish.

What wood projects are you looking to distress?

Linking up with: Link Party Palooza, Time to Sparkle, Sugar Bee Crafts, Made by you Monday