How do you antique cabinets?

Antique cabinets by painting them with a base coat and glaze, sanding them, adding wood wax and applying a few paint flecks. This takes a few hours plus drying time. You need a paintbrush, base paint, glaze, 100-grit sandpaper, wood wax, cotton rags, black acrylic paint and water.

1. Paint the cabinets with a base coat

   Paint the cabinets with a base coat of paint. Use satin latex in a color that you want to see once you antique the cabinets, such as a light green or white. Allow the paint to dry.

2. Add a glaze

   Add smoky glaze to the cabinets using a bristled brush. Allow the glaze to dry.

3. Sand the cabinets

   Once the cabinets are dry, sand them with 100-grit sandpaper in the same direction that you painted them. Sand lightly for a soft antiqued look. Make sure to sand the edges and those places that become naturally worn more than other places.

4. Remove the dust

   Remove the dust using a damp cloth.

5. Apply wood wax

   Dip a cotton rag into wood wax, and wipe it over the cabinets. Allow the wax to dry.

6. Add paint flecks

   Add water to some black acrylic paint. Blot off the majority of the paint. Lightly splatter the surface with the remaining paint. Allow it to dry.