I am remodeling a bathroom. How do I antique cabinets after painting white?

I have sanded cabinets that were stained dark brown and varnished to prep them for painting. I planned to paint them white but would lile to give them a more interesting look by adding some antiquing with glaze or stain. Does anyone know how to do this? Or where I can find information on how to do this? Appreciate any ideas!

Public Comments

1. You can find antiquing kits at your local paint store. Take your time and follow the instructions.
2. The Home Depot, Lowe's, and Sherwin Williams stores have very knowlegeable and well-trained employees to teach people how to use different faux finishing techniques. Sometimes they even have hands on classes scheduled. If you can't get to one of their stores they may have that information available on their websites.
3. This is no specialty suggestion, but just something I've tried before, so I hope it's helpful. Get you an old dog chain or dog collar with spikes, and get to whacking. Think of someone you have a grudge against, and whack at the wood, .. lol.. anyway this has a nice effect on the wood, and creates "stress" marks, and resembles worm burrow holes. My bedroom furniture has these marks. Also you can try a stainless steel wool pad and scrap against the grain for distressed marking and continue to paint over. Do this step after painting, or even in layers, to create an aged appearance. You said "antique" and most furnisher that is antique will not be in "pristine" condition, so hopefully I've provided some at home ideas to get your project motivated, and cost efficient. Good luck!
4. I wouldn't recommend a glaze. Glaze dries quickly. Get stain and wipe over the top and then wipe it off. To make the wood look old sand it in places that would wear before you stain it. The stain is really easy to use and looks good. You may want to try different colors for different looks. Good luck!
5. previous answer is right glaze dries fast but it is still the best product for your situation ,find a practice board and get the feel of using it before you apply to the cabinetry...it works like a stain where you put it on an area and wipe it off right away leaving it heavier in the places you want to look darker or aged ...it is actually pretty easy once you get the feel for it ..good luck...painting contractor
6. You can either purchase glaze or wipe on gel stain or make your own glaze in any color you like, but burnt umber or burnt sienna are most often used in faux antique finishes. I make my own glazes to control the transperancy, open working time and depth of color. I mix one part water, one part acyrlic or latex paint and one part Floetrol. Floetrol gives you more open time to work the glaze into where you want to antique by extending dry time. Obviously, the more Floetrol you add, the longer the open, working time before it dries. You can get Floetrol in the paint aisle at the home improvement stores. You can apply the glaze using several techniques depending on the results you desire. I usually prefer to use a small chip brush in recessed areas and then wipe over it with a soft, lint free cloth. I usually apply the glaze where I want to accent raised or recessed moldings. Sometimes I even apply it all over a piece to tone down a base color and then reapply in areas of architectural interest. I always seal my pieces with a non-yellowing polyurethane to protect the work and make it easier to clean. You can find a lot of examples, photos, and detailed instructions on both the HGTV and DIY websites. Fun project, Good luck.