How do i distress my wood bench?
Question:My FIL mentioned that I could burn it, but i'm kinda scared about that. I have found articals to read, but I really want step by step instructions that come with photos. Is sanding a better way, or do I want to "dent and stain"? I would like photos of both so I know what I want. Can anyone help me please?
Answers:
Take it outside and beat on it with any old metal tools, like hammer, rake, chains,etc.
Paint-
Then one base coat paint, darker color.Let dry. Second thin coat of paint , lighter color. Let dry, now beat it all over again. Then take sand paper and all over in no certain pattern , remove as much or as little of the lighter color paint as you want.
Seal with a coat of poly.
Stain-
Do the same, but use a very light wood stain let dry, then add a darker stain here and there, not completely over the light, using a brush, old rag, anything to make some interesting design. You can even sand some off when dry, then use the poly coat.
Hope this helps...I have been 'screwing' up furniture for years...any thing goes and it makes for great conversation pieces
on tv i saw the designer david bromstad do dent distressing .. . he used a heavy chain link.
i personally wouldnt burn stuff but that's just me
Leaving it out in the weather a month or so would make the wood turn gray a little if it is raw. Beating it some with a piece of chain works well do add various size dents. You can also use a stick with nails pounded all the way through to hit it with to make round dings. Pounding some of the nails flat first, would give you another kind of ding. Staining it after distressing it, letting it dry then sanding off some of the stain will highlight the dings. I would sand it unevenly as well to add to the effect. Some furniture manufacturers splatter black paint or stain instead of actually dinging them so they still have a smooth finish when done. That looks good from a distance but a little phony up close. You would do that by dipping a brush in some ebony stain, wiping off the excess paint in the brush and pack the bristles letting them go in the direction of the bench. Practice on cardboard first for this effect. Most of all have fun, its hard to wreck this kind of project!
I am A 37 year experienced painter..and we used to distress new oak cabinets etc..I've actually had to stain a set with strained motor oil and then seal it...a chain at random beatings will do the distress..but a small plumbing torch applied to it at random will give that look to it and safely..I have taken a torch like this to old houses with wooden walls, scorched them then coated with polyurethane..and they were great..My brother is an old hippy and actually makes bamboo flutes for a living..and he rolls the bamboo on a plumbers torch and makes a scorched horshoe design in them..if you roll this torch on this bench with 3 and 4 second intervals..it will be fine...
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