Painting Furniture Black Distressed
The Honeycomb Home
(no sanding!)
This simple trick for distressing furniture without sanding will work whatever condition your furniture is in. The condition will dictate the rest of the process. As you can see, our piece was in bad shape.
Even though the condition was bad, we wanted to keep that brown wood showing through the the edges and corners of the black paint.
First, we gave this vintage table a good cleaning. Next, we used wood filler to fill in the scratches and dents. We sanded that down when it was set.
The trick to letting the distressed areas show through is Vaseline! Apply vaseline before painting to any area you do NOT want the paint to adhere to.
Next, go ahead and apply your paint. It is easier to use a paint sprayer so that you don't get vaseline in your brush. However, you can use a brush and paint over those areas last.
When your paint is fully dry, use a paper towel or a lint-free cloth to wipe down the areas where you applied Vaseline. It will magically reveal the color underneath!
Lastly, apply a good-quality clear topcoat to protect your newly redone piece. We love tough coat for its durability and because it does not yellow over time.
This technique would also work if you are painting over a piece of wood furniture and would like some of that original wood to show through.
Love a good furniture makeover? See how this dresser was completely transformed!