How to distress an old hutch

January 27, 2012 10:06 AM

How would you attractively distress this buffet hutch?

I bought a nice solid wood buffet hutch off craigslist. It's beat up as in moderately used. Rather than refinish the whole thing, I thought it would be nice and easy to distress it a little further and make the scratches dings and chips part of the charm.

It has some original little hash marks and such. How would I enhance the other scratches in the finish to appear similar. That is, filled in little black scratches.

Also, if you have any ideas for how to fix this chipped corner, ideas welcome.

posted by patrad to home & garden (5 answers total)

As to the corner, I'd use wood filler. Like this guy.
posted by resurrexit at 10:09 AM on January 27

Rustoleum and Krylon both make a product that you can use to create the distressed look. Try this link and see how you would like to create the look. There is a patina technique that looks really great too.

As for the corner, that is a tough one. You may need to use a wood filling putty. Try WoodFil Epoxy. You shape it and stick it onto that corner. If you don't find the right color, you can get the color and put it right into the putty and mix it into the putty by kneading it before putting it into the corner. Wait until it dries and then sand it down to the shape and texture. Then you will have to refinish the corner to match the glossy or matte.
posted by Yellow at 10:45 AM on January 27

If you just want to highlight the scratches and hash marks, get a furniture filler crayon from the hardware store in a cherry (warm,red) or walnut (cool, greenish) finish that is much darker than the wood itself, and get to coloring. Wipe off the high areas with a soft cloth and leave the dark wax in the scratches.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 1:01 PM on January 27

For distressing it: take out the glass and throw pointy things at it. I've seen distressers beat furniture with chains.

For fixing the corner: I would get some sandpaper and just round it off and finish it. Do the same to the other corner if you like.
posted by gjc at 2:35 PM on January 27

I would not add any distressing. It's a nice piece of furniture, as is. It's pine, not a hardwood, so I'd really consider painting it a bold color - turquoise, golden yellow, etc., whatever would look good with your other stuff.
posted by theora55 at 10:31 AM on January 29