Easy Way For Painting & Distressing Metal Furniture
Painting the metal, either for a craft project or for furniture needs, some specific techniques and products are needed in order to get the distressed finish. A distressed metal paint effect gives fixtures, furniture, outdoor garden tubs a charm color as well as a different texture. If you wish to paint your metal furniture and give it a distressed look, then follow all the below mentioned steps carefully:
- Well-ventilated Area: The first step is to cover the ground with newspaper or a plastic tarp or take your metal furniture such as bed outside. It's very important to work in a well-ventilated area.
- Sanding: Now the next step is to sand down the entire metal frame with the help of a medium-grit sanding block as this will help to scuff up the existing finish if there is any, make a good surface on which the paint will adhere strongly. If the user exposes bare metal while sanding, it's not a point of worry but the goal is to make the piece look beat up and used. After the sanding is done wipe away all the dust using a dry cloth.
- Candle Wax: The next step is to rub a bit of candle wax over a metal frame, focusing on areas that users would typically like to distress most, such as corners, edges, and railings. This will help the top paint layer come off very easily when sanding the frame.
- Latex Paint: Take some of the latex paint into a paint tray and apply the paint with the brush over the entire frame, after that allow it to dry completely. If the fresh paint looks thin or transparent then apply a second coat, also allowing it to dry completely.
- Again Sanding: Once the paint is completely dry sand away parts of the new paint using a medium-grit sanding block, especially in the areas that were previously waxed. Stop when the metal piece looks as distressed as the users want it to look.
- Dark Or Rust-colored Latex Stain: If the user wishes to emulate the look of aging and weathering then rub down a bit of a dark or simply rust-colored latex stain over the frame with the help of a cloth.
Important Tips
- In order to make the frame appear as if it has been painted a long time ago then apply more than one layer of paint, with each different color and sand or chip away through several layers at one time in various areas all over the piece as this will make it look distressed.
- The user can use a polyurethane sealer over the finished metal, but this will make it look shiny and detract from the distressed look. Leaving the metal unsealed will allow it to age and wear naturally.