How to Make Furniture Look Antique With Paint & Stain

In this instructable, I show you how to make furniture look antique using only paint and stain. This easy technique creates an aged look on any piece of furniture.

There are several things which are difficult to fully explain with words and images, so be sure to check out the video tutorial above. 

Paint (White Satin)

Stain (Sun Bleached)

Paint Brush

Stain Brush

Orbital Sander

HEPA Vacuum

120 Grit Sandpaper

Nitrile Gloves

Foam Brushes

Rags

Polycrylic Liquid Finish

Polycrylic Spray

First, the base color paint should contrast with the stain color.

Remember, contrasting color paint and stain work best. Dark paint works best with light stain and light paint works best with dark stain.

Type of Paint

The type of paint you use to create an antique finish on furniture matters.

You should choose a latex paint with a satin (eggshell) or semi-gloss sheen. Do not use spray paint to

Keep in mind, milk paint, chalk paint, and most acrylic paints leave a matte/flat sheen which does not work well with this technique. Rather, antiquing glaze works best with these types of paint.

For the first step, paint the entire piece of furniture with 2 thin coats of white paint.

If you are painting bare wood furniture, be sure to paint in the same direction as the wood grain.

Allow the first coat of paint to dry for 12 to 24 hours. To get the best results, apply a second coat of paint.

Keep in mind, don’t use too much paint. Instead, use multiple layers of paint to get a smooth, uniform painted finish for the next step.

Use an orbital sander or sanding block with fine sandpaper (120 grit or higher) to sand the corners and sharp edges.

Do not use steel wool as it leaves residue behind.

Essentially, the fine-grit sandpaper should be just enough to remove the paint finish and reveal the solid wood. Move to a medium-grit sandpaper (80 grit or 100 grit) only if needed.

For a timeworn look, sand the parts of the furniture prone to natural wear and tear. Obviously, these areas get touched and handled the most.

The stain penetrates wood surfaces better than a paint finish. In turn, the finished piece will appear as though it aged naturally.

Use a scrap piece of wood and paint it the same color as the furniture. Next, separate each section with a piece of painter’s tape.

Then, apply a little bit of stain with a clean rag. Use a different color stain in each section. Decide which aged look works best for you.

First, apply wood stain over the exposed wood with a foam brush, dry rag, or soft cloth.

Remember, work in small sections and a little bit of stain goes a long way. You don’t need to be overly cautious when antiquing furniture with wood stain.

Removing stain properly is one of the most important things to do when distressing pieces of furniture.

First, use a dry rag or paper towel and wipe the area. As you wipe, the stain will spread to surrounding areas.

Obviously, the stain darkens the white paint and produces a worn, weathered look. As mentioned, work in small sections. This prevents the stain from drying making it difficult to wipe and remove.

The main advantage to this distressing technique is control and forgiveness. Ultimately, the paint sheen (satin, semigloss, or gloss) prevents the stain from fully soaking into the paint.

This allows you to wipe and remove most of the stain. 

Remove more stain for a subtle antique finish. Or, remove less stain for a more distressed finish.

If you apply too much stain, use a damp wet rag to remove it before it soaks into the paint. Conversely, add more stain to an area if you didn’t apply enough.

To seal distressed furniture, use a coat of clear wax or apply a protective coating such as Polycrylic.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions regardless of which option you choose.

For this project, I applied 3 coats to protect the distressed furniture from normal wear and tear. Keep in mind, apply multiple thin coats to build up the finish.

Quick Tip: When sealing distressed furniture, use a spray can of the same finish to cover those hard-to-reach places.

Once you learn how to antique furniture using paint and stain for an aged look, you can start a side hustle flipping furniture.

I purchased this desk for $75.00 on craigslist for my daughter’s room. After I finished this furniture makeover project, a friend offered to purchase the finished piece for $500. Not too bad after a few hours of my time and $25.00 in material.

I hope this instructable provided you with value. Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions - I'm happy to help.

Be sure to checkout my YouTube channel and my website for more DIY tutorials.