Q: (Ashton in Milwaukee, WI): The crown molding in my living room is very plain. I am looking for a way to dress it up. Is there a paint technique that would work?A: (from DIY painting expert Gary Lord): Antiquing is a great way to dress up any plain piece of wood?whether it’s a baseboard, crown molding or furniture. Here are a few tips to antiquing your crown molding.
Materials:Acrylic paint
Clear glazing
Paint brushes
2, 4 ft. ladders
Painting tape Steps: 1. Before you do your antiquing, make sure your crown molding is installed, caulked, puttied and primed and base-coated. Then, you can mix up your glaze. Use acrylic paint and clear glazing medium (90 percent glazing medium, 10 percent paint). We used a dark brown and an earth brown because they coordinated with our wall color.
2. Use two four-foot ladders and a stretch board in between...that allows you to get up to the crown molding all in one movement.3. Once your glaze is mixed and you’re up on your scaffolding, you can begin to antique. Use a brush that’s the same size as the molding. Apply the glaze onto the surface in a thin, even coat (figure A). While still wet, wipe it off with a cheesecloth (figure B). Use firm pressure so that you’re creating a striated pattern. Work your way around the room until all the molding is covered.
4. When the tape has been removed, you can see that the glaze adds a subtle elegance to your crown molding. Other Antiquing Methods: 1. Use a rock to beat the molding (figure C). Take a knife and shave off edges (figure D). Use a knife or nail to create little worm holes. You can take a finishing nail and use it to create a worm hole affect by using the point of the nail. Lightly brush the glaze onto the molding (figure E). While it’s still wet, use a cheesecloth to wipe off most of the glaze.
2. Sand some areas to expose the raw wood underneath. Use sandpaper and rub gently. Then, apply a coat of glaze over all the wood and wipe it off with a cheesecloth.
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