How to Give Your Adirondack Chair a Distressed Finish

Give your new Adirondack chair a distressed finish. The distressed look is one way to impart a sense of age and use to a wooden piece of furniture. Why would you want to make new furniture look old? Some people enjoy the sense of comfort and history that comes with this style, but don’t want to spend money on expensive genuine antiques. Others enjoy the look but just can’t find what they’re looking for in stores, so they grab new furniture and customize it to suit their tastes. If you want to try out the worn look of your Adirondack chair, you’ll need paint, sandpaper, and a clear sealer for the top coat. Steer clear of a glossy finish though, as this will only make your chair look new.

Start by lightly sanding your Adirondack chair so the paint will adhere better to its surface. Wipe the chair with a clean cloth to remove dust. You can use a primer first, if you wish. Paint the entire chair with the selected shade of flat paint. Darker colors look especially good with a distressed finish. Let the paint partially dry between coats. After you have applied the final coat of paint, allow it to dry completely. If the air is humid, allow more time.

Once you’re sure the pulp has dried completely, grab a new piece of sandpaper. It will sand in the same direction as the grain of the wood, but it will not sand all of the meat. Sand only the areas that are usually the first to show signs of wear. On your Adirondack chair, these could be the edges of the armrests, feet, etc. If you need additional guidance, look at pictures of deteriorated furniture to get an idea of ​​where you could sand.

Don’t sand too hard. You’re not trying to take out wood or remove an entire section of paint. Sand lightly, just enough to give your Adirondack chair a used look. You should remove some paint as you sand. When you’re done with this step, take another clean cloth and wipe down all of the meat to remove any dust that may have caused your sanding.

Apply your clear sealer according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This topcoat should help preserve your soft-wear calculated look so it doesn’t degrade to a full true-to-life rough-wear look.

Are you ready. You have sanded your chair, primed or painted it with the required number of coats and let it dry. He then used sandpaper to abrade key areas and the edges of his chair, the same areas that would normally be the first to show signs of wear. He then wiped down the chair to remove any dust and finished by applying a clear top coat. Once the top coat has dried, you should be able to use your Adirondack chair with its distressed finish. Now, what is your next project? A matching side table? Perhaps an ottoman?