Antiquing???

Al Launier

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Bedford, NH
I'm about to complete a jewelry box for my daughter and she originally wanted it stained a black or dark charcoal gray. I tried, but two things against that is that the box is made of poplar with minimal grain, and the stained does a great job of contrasting the glue joints (I'm not patient enough to sand down to my knuckles). In other words the results spells disaster.

So she decided she would like a black paint with a "bronze or similar" type of color for the drawers that look aged, i.e. antiqued, would really look nice (to her). She doesn't want a shiny finish, so any gloss is out, she would like something that looks naturally worn/used. So, what to do?

I wiped down the box with mineral spirits & primed it and then picked up some spray paint of Krylon Satin Black for the body & Kyrlon Flat Metallic Chestnut (only close color to bronze I could find) for the drawers, along with some 0000 fine steel wool. it's my intent to spray the paint as usual and once dry to use the fine steel wool to gently "wipe" off the gloss after each coat hopefully to dull the finish more so in some areas than in others. Not really confident this will work, so I'm wondering if anyone can offer suggestions before I have another disaster.
 
I'd sand lightly with 220~320 between coats, then after the final coat has dried for at least a week, I'd buff it lightly with grey Scotchbrite® to knock the gloss off.

To get a bit of metallic look to it, I might also use a bit of Antique Gold or Bronze Rub-n-Buff® along the edges and maybe around the knobs.
 
This may be more than you are looking for - but -

MODERN MASTERS

Has a line of "reactive" paints.

I have not tried it yet, but I bought some with Christmas gift money.
It's on my things to do list

There are several options

The ones I choose"

Copper - green patina
Bronze - with antique patina
Iron - rust.

This is a two part system - you REALLY need to get close and personal to be able to tell that it is not real.

Also - you can glaze it. With a few coats of paint and glaze - you can get some "really" interesting results.
 
I did a copper patina on wood for a church using kits I found at Micheal's. Not terribly expensive and sort of fun. Research faux finishes. Even the borg has a bunch of that stuff.

You paint on a base coat. Then daub on the metallic color and then clear finish. Hard to tell is not metal.

Easy peasy.
 
Oops! Judging from all your responses, which I appreciate, I think I may have misled you all. First off, I guess I misused the word antique as that has steered the narrative in the wrong direction. To better clarify my intent: I already have the paints that will be used. I would just like to find a way to make the colors look "slightly used" in the sense that the gloss is gone & perhaps an indication that the box is not "factory new". I personally do not like old, worn out things and that prevents me from going the antique route (suspect that's a psychological thing from growing up with nothing & not wanting to go there with reminders - I prefer "new".) However, with no experience doing this I don't want to have to do several iterations to finally get it right. With nice weather coming on, I'm getting tired of these projects & want to go outside to play.

Frankly, Jim is on to what I'm hoping to do, except I'd like to try the fine steel wool. Thanks Jim, I like the idea of waiting for the paint to harden & the Bronze Rub idea as well).

Carol has a good suggestion as well, but I have to state that the project is a band saw box in the shape of a howling wolf and my daughter loves black wolves, so that is why she chose these colors. The bronze is to provide a subtle contrast in the shade she likes. If it comes out half way decent I'll post pictures along with the other two I'm trying to finish.

Thanks to all for your suggestions.
 
Oops! ...Frankly, Jim is on to what I'm hoping to do, except I'd like to try the fine steel wool. Thanks Jim, I like the idea of waiting for the paint to harden & the Bronze Rub idea as well)...

While I prefer the Scotchbrite®, 4 ought steel wool will do the same job. DO WAIT A WEEK before de-glossing it, though. Most finishes take at least that long to cure. Some take a month or more.

I just don't like all the little wires the steel wool leaves behind. They're a particular problem if you use waterborne finishes like I usually do. On porous woods like oak, the wires get into the pores, then cause rust when you add the waterborne.
 
While I prefer the Scotchbrite®, 4 ought steel wool will do the same job. DO WAIT A WEEK before de-glossing it, though. Most finishes take at least that long to cure. Some take a month or more.

I just don't like all the little wires the steel wool leaves behind. They're a particular problem if you use waterborne finishes like I usually do. On porous woods like oak, the wires get into the pores, then cause rust when you add the waterborne.

I have some Scotchbrite. I'll give it a try.
 
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