Shabby Chic; Volume III

steve_2012

thanks for the compliments on the dresser.
although ive distressed the edges being pine they hardly show.
when i do the waxing i fear they still wont darken as i would like, is there a way of pre darkening prior to the waxing.
i have thought of a few ways but i am a bit weary of doing any of these and spoiling it.
any tips on this.
picked up a £5 jentiques 50/60s bureau on monday and i am giving this a go today, its not the best example of a bureau and i forgot to get a piccy before i took the door and mini shelving off but i will take a pic as it is and after.

chalkysoil

I would wax it with clear wax, then put on a bit of dark wax on the distressed areas and tongue & groove. The dark wax I have is potent and I always mix it with a lot of clear wax before use. I have always distressed after the waxing, to keep the dust down for one thing. Then I add a bit of wax over the distressed areas.

Or you could try rubbing in a bit of something into the wood before waxing - oil paint/furniture touch up stuff/. But pine is supposed to be pine coloured and it might make too much of a mess.

depending on the clear wax you are using you may be able to tint it with something. I did a cigar box in a mix of acrylic artist paint and annie sloan wax once, and got an interesting translucent effect.

or, as a last resort, as used in auction houses etc, rub some hoover dust in to the distressed areas.

steve_2012

chalkysoil wrote: »

I would wax it with clear wax, then put on a bit of dark wax on the distressed areas and tongue & groove. The dark wax I have is potent and I always mix it with a lot of clear wax before use. I have always distressed after the waxing, to keep the dust down for one thing. Then I add a bit of wax over the distressed areas.

Or you could try rubbing in a bit of something into the wood before waxing - oil paint/furniture touch up stuff/. But pine is supposed to be pine coloured and it might make too much of a mess.

depending on the clear wax you are using you may be able to tint it with something. I did a cigar box in a mix of acrylic artist paint and annie sloan wax once, and got an interesting translucent effect.

or, as a last resort, as used in auction houses etc, rub some hoover dust in to the distressed areas.

thanks chalkysoil,
i have some dark wax that i used on pine wardrobes some years back, this is what i was tempted too use but a bit worried about it spreading.
i think dirt may be as good a method as any though.
i will have a think about this, ive not bought the clear wax yet just waiting till ive finished the bureau ive started today.

emma_kate

steve_2012 wrote: »

thanks for the compliments on the dresser.
although ive distressed the edges being pine they hardly show.
when i do the waxing i fear they still wont darken as i would like, is there a way of pre darkening prior to the waxing.
i have thought of a few ways but i am a bit weary of doing any of these and spoiling it.
any tips on this.
picked up a £5 jentiques 50/60s bureau on monday and i am giving this a go today, its not the best example of a bureau and i forgot to get a piccy before i took the door and mini shelving off but i will take a pic as it is and after.

You shouldn't need to give it a fine sanding before waxing. With pine, the distressed areas are not going to be a huge contrast. Sometimes with pine I do a two colour distressing, so that you distress back to the bottom colour, not the pine. You'd need to use your candle wax on this though, between the layers of paint so that you distress back to the right place.
Alternatively you might darken your pine before you paint, with either a coloured varnish or a wood dye, depending on how your surface is currently treated, and therefore how absorbant it will be. Wood dyes are best on raw wood. They penetrate whereas a varnish will sit on top.
It looks great!

emma_kate

Eew! Hoover dust? Really?

Keli

Seakay wrote: »

They look great Keli - may I be very cheeky and ask about the wallpaper as well? It's really pretty!

Thank you. The wallpaper is Oriental Gardens in chalk Pink from Laura Ashley (on offer at the moment 50% off). I love it and have used it in duck egg in my spare room too.

Keli

Thank you for your nice comments on my bedside cabinets.

Im on the look out for next project room,,, I always redecorate my house a mix of modern yet classic.

I do have an online blog about my home which I will attempt to add to my profile on here.

Im getting more into shabby chic. I like neat shabby chic if that makes sense xxx

chalkysoil

emma_kate wrote: »

Eew! Hoover dust? Really?

or now in a jar ...


Aging Dust is a natural compound used for polishing wax. It creates a beautiful hand finish and a soft sheen. It is a wonderful metal polisher as well.
Used primarily for highly carved or decorative areas such as hardware, the Aging Dust settles into the grooves giving the appearance of age over time.
This high end finish is often found in fine antiques, furniture and custom cabinetry. Now you can create this authentic time worn look yourself!
Directions for use: Apply a coat of Clear Soft Wax. When the wax is no longer wet, but still tacky, sprinkle a generous amount of Aging Dust across the surface and allow to dry for 30 minutes. Lightly brush off the excess and polish the piece leaving some Aging Dust behind in the crevices. Gorgeous!
Aging Dust is conveniently packaged in an 8 ounce shake top container for optimal dispensing.

Price: $9.95 Coming Soon

chalkysoil

not sure how to do this, not my usual style. Anyone any ideas?

steve_2012

emma_kate wrote: »

You shouldn't need to give it a fine sanding before waxing. With pine, the distressed areas are not going to be a huge contrast. Sometimes with pine I do a two colour distressing, so that you distress back to the bottom colour, not the pine. You'd need to use your candle wax on this though, between the layers of paint so that you distress back to the right place.
Alternatively you might darken your pine before you paint, with either a coloured varnish or a wood dye, depending on how your surface is currently treated, and therefore how absorbant it will be. Wood dyes are best on raw wood. They penetrate whereas a varnish will sit on top.
It looks great!

thanks emma, all taken on-board.

ive been using some foam rollers i already had and find the finish much better, even where i apply with the brush ive going over that with the roller.
i dont know the quality of these rollers but they only last a day, even after being thoroughly cleaned and dried they tend to baggy on the unconnected end very quickly on the next use.
no big deal, you can buy cheaply on amazon/ebay.
are there any recommended brands for these and is there any reason you cant use a short pile roller as opposed to foam.

edit: i should say mine are sponge not foam, or at least not what i would call foam.