How to Distress Furniture Without Using a Sander!

I am so excited to show you how to distress furniture without using a sander, and the best part? It looks authentic!

Table of Contents

What you will need:

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Amy Howards One Step Paint in Linen
Toscana Milk Paint
Antiquing Glaze
Light Antique Wax
Dark Antique Wax
Paint Brush
Sea Sponge

Directions on how to distress furniture without using a sander:

One Step - Chalk Paint

Paint your entire piece with the one step chalk paint. This dresser used to be a dark pink, it only took 2 coats for me to cover all the pink. Which is great when it come to white paint!

For each coat I used a pint of paint so 2 pints total.

Step 2 - Milk Paint

Once the chalk paint is dry, it takes about 30 minutes to an hour, it is time to mix up the milk paint. To mix up milk paint I use equal parts of water and milk paint powder. To get all the powder to blend together I use a wisk and mix it for at least 2 minutes.

I applied 2 coats of milk paint to get good coverage. Don't be worried when your milk paint goes on. It does go on darker and looks terrible, but I promise once it dries it looks much better!

Step 3 - Antiquing Glaze

Now it is time to distressed! Put a small amount to antiquing glaze on to your sea sponge and lightly rub where you want to distress. When I am distressing I trying to think of places a piece would naturally distress, like the corners or anywhere a piece will be touched a lot.

As you lightly rub your piece of furniture the antiquing glaze will pull the milk paint off showing the chalk paint underneath, creating this beautiful distressed look.

If you take too much milk paint off in an area, wait for the antiquing glaze to dry and then you can paint with the milk paint again! After the antiquing glaze is dry I like to use a 220 grit sand paper to lighting go over everything to smooth it all out. We are not sanding to distress...we are only sanding so it is smooth to the touch.

Step 4 - Light Antiquing Wax

4- Now it is time to add light antiquing wax. This wax is going to seal the piece. Do NOT do this until you are happy with your piece. Milk paint will not paint over wax.

Load your brush up with wax and then press it into the paint. As you add your wax it will slightly darken your piece and really bring out all the details. After you have waxed your entire piece let it dry for about an hour and then buff it to a shine.

Step 5 - Dark Antiquing Wax

Last but not least adding dark wax. I like to add my wax to the corners, or anywhere a piece would naturally distress. Dark wax can go on a little heavy so use it sparingly. I like to used a chip brush and lightly load up the bristles and then rub it over the corners. If you get too much in a specific spot you can put a little bit of light wax on a rag and rub it off. Once it is dry buff it to a shine and your piece is done!!