Antiqued Cabinet

Figure A

Shoe polish and varnish technique

1. First, apply several layers of varnish to raw wood. Tinted varnish can be used .
2. Distress the wood, using a dry wall knife. Cut grooves in the wood and chip them out (figure A).

Glue and paint technique

Glue and paint technique

Note: If desired, distress raw wood (only slightly, since the finishing technique adds its own distressed look).

Figure C

1. Apply a thin layer of hide glue with a brush and let dry.
2. Apply a coat of flat latex paint over the glue.
3. As the paint dries, it softens the glue, crackling the paint. Pull up paint , using hands or a rag (figure C).

Figure D

Pull up a little or a lot of paint, depending on desired look.