DIY Network

Easy Antiquing Techniques Give freshly built furniture some funky character. From "Wasted Spaces" episode DWSP-302

Plain plywood cabinets get a classy antique look.

Storage is essential, but style is important as well. Karl Champley shows homeowners Chad and Rebecca how to transform their plain-vanilla corner cabinets into storage units they'll love to show off. Also in this episode, Karl demonstrates how to convert one of the cabinets into a handy wet bar.

This project applies the antiquing techniques to a pair of huge,
81"-tall storage cabinets. But they work just as well on smaller pieces of furniture, doors or even picture frames. If you're unsure about trying the paint effects on such a large piece, practice on a smaller item or a piece of scrap wood.

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Easy Antiquing – Paint

Tools and Materials: paint paint brushes paint rollers paint trays paint sprayer and protective gear sandpaper

Paint Colors (Benjamin Moore): white semi-gloss Yarmouth Blue, eggshell Shenandoah Taupe, semi-gloss

Figure A

Note: Since the cabinets are so big, Chad used a power sprayer to get even paint coverage over the large surface areas. The same techniques work just as well on a smaller scale – with less equipment.

• Lay out the pieces. Set up the cabinets in a large, well-ventilated area – preferably outdoors. Lay out the cabinet doors and shelves on a tarp nearby.

• Prime the pieces. Prime all of the pieces with a good-quality primer. Latex primers and paints are easier to clean up and don't generate such strong fumes as their oil-based counterparts. Allow the primer to dry completely before going to the next step.

• Get sloppy with splotches. Paint splotches of two different colors around the entire cabinet and the doors. Allow to dry completely.

• Paint it white. Paint over the splotches with an even coat of white paint (figure A). Chad used a power sprayer to speed up this step; he also painted the shelves and interiors white.

  Safety Alert: Make sure to wear eye protection and a dust mask if using a power sprayer. Chad also wore protective gear to keep the paint mist off of his clothing and skin.

• Sand the white. Once the white over-coat is dry, lightly sand away the white to reveal the colors below. Don't over-sand to reveal too much of the colors; work slowly, and stop when the desired effect is reached.

Easy Antiquing – Tin Doors

Tools and Materials:

tin ceiling panels
tin snips/cutter
safety glasses
orbital sander
construction adhesive

Figure B

The pre-made cabinet doors used in this project are fairly boring. In addition to the paint technique above, dress them up with some antiqued tin.

• Cut the tin to fit. Using tin snips, cut pressed-tin ceiling tiles to fit the inlay area of the pre-made cabinet doors.

  Safety Alert: Wear work gloves and use caution when cutting the tin; the cut edges can be razor sharp.

• Sand the tiles. Lightly sand the white tiles to reveal some of the metal color underneath. Don't over-sand; work slowly and stop when the desired effect is reached.

  Safety Alert: Always wear eye protection and use caution when working with a power sander or other power tools.

• Attach the tiles and doors. Use construction adhesive to attach the antiqued tiles to the cabinet doors, then install the doors on the cabinets.