Distressed Wood Finishing

With the cost of antiques often prohibitively high, some people create an antique look by distressing newer furniture. Distressing a solid wood coffee table can give an uninteresting piece of furniture a new life. When you use a distressed wood coffee table, stains and water marks go from being a problem that ruins furniture to being an asset that improves the look of the piece.

Weathering Wood

Weathered wood has a unique look that can be re-created using a number of commercially available products. However, a simple homemade system can help you create the feel of weathered wood. First, mix white acrylic paint with water to the consistency of heavy cream. Paint the wood that will be artificially weathered and let it dry. Mix India ink with rubbing alcohol until the mixture stains a tissue a moderately light gray. Paint over the wood painted with the watered-down acrylic paint until the wood has the desired color and feel.

Surface Distressing

There are many ways to distress the surface of a piece of wood or furniture. One way is to add nuts, bolts, nails, coils and other hardware items to a sock and beat a finished piece of wood until it achieves the look you want. Use sandpaper to simulate wear on paint. Use gouges and hammers to mar the finished surface of the wood. If the wood is finished, but the piece hasn't yet been assembled, place the wood on a gravel or bumpy driveway surface and either jump on the board or, for extreme distressing, drive over the board with your car or truck.

Deep Distressing

Deep distressing can be more challenging, and also offers some opportunities for unique distressing effects. Simulate worm holes by using a Dremel tool with a small, round cutter. Wood worms usually go with the grain, rarely against it. By routing out a series of small worm holes, you can achieve the realistic look of very old wood. Another way to deeply distress a piece of furniture is to look for a weak point in the wood. Break the wood at that point, then repair the break. Be careful not to make the repair look too good; the idea is to make the furniture, shelf or wood appear to have been repaired in an earlier age.