Unfinished Buffet

Steps:

1. Lightly sand the entire piece and remove the dust with a tack cloth or damp rag. Use a foam brush to put shellac over any knots to keep them from bleeding through the paint finish. Let dry.

Figure A

2. Apply the base coat and let dry. Rub a candle along the edges and corners of the cabinet where the piece might wear naturally, which will make the removal of the green top coat much easier (figure A).

3. Apply the green top coat but don't be concerned about complete coverage. Let dry.
4. Use steel wool to rub away the top color where the candle wax is. This will expose the yellow base coat and add a distressed finish to the piece.
5. Apply two to three coats of polyurethane (allow it to dry thoroughly and sand between each layer).
6. Top the piece with glass using spacers for protection if desired.