3 top tips on how to distress a piece of furniture without sanding

Here are 3 top tips on how to achieve that perfect distressed look on your painted piece of funiture with minimal effort and no sandpaper.

1. Vinegar & Water

Step 1. Fill a spray water bottle with a half Vinegar and a half water solution. Take an old cotton clothe or two (white is preferable). Spray directly onto the piece that you have painted that is fully dry.

Step 2. Start to rub the paint off with a rag. Spray the vinegar water mix on as much as it needed.

Step 3. Once completley dry varnish or wax the piece to protect it from everyday use.

The appeal of this method is that you don't have the scrapes and scratches you get when using sandpaper.

2. Vaseline

Step 1. Apply a thin layer of Vaseline to the edges of your project and anywhere you want a distressed look. Note: Your paint will NOT adhere to where you’ve applied the Vaseline.

It may be easiest to apply the Vaseline with your finger, but you can also use a cotton swab. If you’re going for a rustic look, don’t worry about being precise with the Vaseline. Apply a little more in some areas and a little less in others to give it that natural distressed look!

Step 2. Paint your project.

STEP 3: Allow the paint to dry slightly (not wet to the touch), then use a damp rag to rub over the areas that have Vaseline. The paint should wipe away easily, exposing the layer underneath the paint. Easy peasy.

Not a single piece of sandpaper in sight. It can take forever to sand a large piece of furniture, so the Vaseline trick can save you bags of time.

3. Wet Wipes

Step 1. Allow the paint to completely dry.

Step 2. Take one or two wet wipes at a time. . And just rub vigorously in in the areas you want to distess and the hey presto.

Effective distressing without the mess or scrape marks of sand paper. The wet wipes do dry out and become clogged with paint so use a new one when this happens.

#paintedfurniture #distressingfurniture #furniturepreparation