How to unfinish? make new look old!!// Ugly Duck is DONE-final pic added

larry merlau

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Delton, Michigan
i have a cabinet in process that needs to look old as in shabby chic look, well i am not in the make look mode and so am making it square and flat first then will need to rough it up to look old and worn.. any ideas of what to do,, she has no problem with cracks and broken trim so that part i can deal with some make new trim break it and install it.. i dont have to paint this she is doing that,, i just need it to look wore out after i make it:) will try to dig up a picture of what she is after..

shabby 3.jpg shabby 4.jpg
shabby 1.jpg shabby 2.jpg
 
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Dents and gouges are pretty easy. Also, think about making the top and drawer fronts with end cuts, so that the checking, etc. are part of them. Maybe pour on some ink, or grease so that it'll bleed through any finish she uses.

To my mind, all are pretty crappy things to do to any furniture, but then there's no accounting for taste, is there?
 
i was thinking of take a screw driver and try to chip off some of the top rails its just not right,, but it does make the job of putting it together a bit easier if it doesnt fit right is great:)
 
I've done the 'beat with chain' on a couple of items, then rub sandpaper over areas that would normally get more wear. As she paints it, she'll have to do her part to miss spots here and there or rub it off after painting.
 
yeah, if it was summer time charlie might work but i really havnt had any trouble with him chewing on projects and i dont need him to start carol:) yeah thought on doing some chain gang work on it.. will show the before and after once its done..
 
now that is an idea hadnt thought of,, but the range might be a problem to close and i would have to start over:)

Yeah, it would take some trial and error with scrap material to get the distance figured out.
sniper.gif
 
Larry if your spraying paint / finish before you do Vaseline in areas that you don't want paint. Or a 100 grit paper will do also. Their is a product , Crackle finish that put on in slect areas works well. . Milk paint is another good way to go. Different tones over each other. you can always tie it to the back of the truch and drive down the road a bit. little bit on each side should give a worn out look.
 
An old master carver I know, used to carve Romanic virgins images out of salvaged pine wood beams full of worm holes. Then after painting them with the original colors he used beat them with a chain as someone already mentioned, dropped them on the ground or send them rolling downstairs to fake their age.
 
well showed the client the cabinet in a almost finished stage and today i end up in a family quarrel:( good friends can make bad customers.. was to deliver this tomorrow..
so i figured out how to make this old in a whole nuther realm:( :)
 
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