This article was originally published in the June 2007 issue under the title Antique Barn Finish. By Troy Sexton
pages 78-83
This is the furniture finish that fooled our local auctioneer, a man with 30 years of experience selling antique furniture and farm equipment.
I had purchased a mower from an auctioneer, and he was dropping it at my workshop when I noticed one of my furniture pieces with what I call barn finishes.
He walked over to the piece and asked what Id repaired on it. It wasn’t an antique that required fixing. I said that I was just about to deliver it to a customer.
He didnt believe me.
After some debate, I finally gave up and turned the piece over so he could see some raw, unfinished wood.
In all my years, he said, I have never seen a finish like that.
A New Finish That Looks Old
Although I don’t think it would fool antique furniture experts, it can be a convincing way for you to add centuries worth of patina to your projects to make them look like older furniture or antique pieces.
This is my favorite finish. It is impossible to mess this up. Even if you dont like the final result, you can simply add another coat of lacquer and paint until you get the look you want. Each layer adds texture to the project, which makes it look better.
Unlike many antiqued painted finishes, this one is safe enough that I allow my daughter to do it. Other finish processes involve a stage where you char a layer of paint with a gas torch or by setting the piece on fire. These methods are not something I like. And Im sure my insurance company would agree.
Instead, I use high-temperature heat guns. Look for one that reaches 1,260 Cahrenheit these are available at industrial supply stores. While the 1,000-degree heat gun will work, the better one is more efficient. Heat guns are a bit slower than a torch, but theyre safer. And Ill show you how to save some time by skipping a coloring step that makes no difference to the finished look of the piece.
Whenever you use this finish, be sure to practice on a sample board at each stage before you move onto the finished project. That way youll see what the next step is going to look like. And when you are done, youll have a great sample board to keep.
Begin With Abuse
Before you add color, the first step is to mimic 200 years of use and abuse to the piece. To chamfer the edges and create worm holes, I use a drill bit to create them. An awl is used to make bite marks on dogs. To demonstrate lots of wear, use a chisel to imitate a mouse hole. Heat a tin can and place it on the wood to char it. At the end, beat it with a cluster of keys then sand the edges with a power sander.
It takes some creativity to determine which areas of a project will see the most wear. But it will become obvious when you look at antiques. The base, knobs, mouldings and doors, as well as drawers, should be your main focus. Allow the children to help, they will need little training.
Do Not Begin with Stain
At its heart, this finish begins with a layer of paint, then a coat of lacquer then another coat of paint. Then you blister and scrape the top coat of paint. Finally, apply a glaze to cover any grime or add a layer of dull lacquer.
Some other antique finishes recommend that you start by staining the entire piece and thenadd the paint. Ive done this many times myself, and I think you can skip that step. Any raw wood that you expose during the aging process will be colored by the glaze in the end. In all the years I have been doing this finish, I have never seen the glaze peel so a base coat of stain seems unnecessary.
Begin by brushing on a coat of latex paint. (Hint: Allow the brush to fall on the floor and get some sawdust on it.) Allow the paint to dry. If some areas of the paint look thin, add a second coat.
Now spray on a coat of lacquer (or brush on a coat of brushing lacquer) and add another one or two coats of the same color paint. Let it dry and get your heat gun.
Lacquer Then Paint;
Blister Then Scrape
Move the heat gun slowly across the surface by holding it close to the surface. After a few minutes the paint will bubble and blister.
Be careful. You will end up with more texture if you blister more. You can always add more paint if you get too much.
With the paint blistered, use a paint scraper to remove the bubbles. Get the surface somewhat smooth but dont get too aggressive. The little ragged edges of paint you leave behind will add texture to the surface.
Apply another coat of lacquer, and then brush on one to two coats of the second color of paint. (See Choosing Color on page 83 to get more ideas about color combinations).
Then blister the paint with your heat gun and scrape the bubbles away. This will reveal patches of your first color below.
You can add lacquer or paint to make it more appealing. Then blister the surface and scrape it until your satisfaction. Then take some worn sandpaper (the grit isnt critical but not too aggressive) and level the blistered surface to smooth over the really rough spots.
Final Color and Topcoat
The final coloring step gives the age. I wipe on a fast-drying brown glaze that is compatible with my lacquer. Glazes are available from professional paint stores. It is not important to choose the exact color.
You could use a gel stain or liquid stain instead of a product labeled as glaze. Liquid stains are more likely to soak into paint and take longer drying time. (All coloring that takes place between coats of finish is technically glazing, but you can use a variety of products for the process.)
Once the glaze has dried, apply your final topcoat. I like a dull lacquer; gloss just wouldnt be right.
This finish has many benefits. If youre not satisfied, put another coat of paint on. Each layer will make it look better.
What if you make a mistake and the finish begins to peel? It’s no problem. Antique finishes peel. It may even look better at the end. PWM
– Troy Sexton
