Dry brush glaze to make antique finishing

Dry brush glaze is the technique in application the glaze. Glaze as a stain that is designed to be applied between the clear coating can be applied in several ways. It can be sprayed and wiped, brushed evenly, spattered, etc. Glaze is specially designed to be very flexible layered and applied over the clear coating. One technique to apply glaze in the furniture finishing is the dry brush. The dry brush glaze to apply the glaze by brushed it dryly. It means the glaze does not evenly layer on the surface, but only applied on some part chosen. The dry brush is brushing the glaze by keeping the brush remains dry or medium wet; it means that the brush does not carry too much glaze. The brush only load some glaze only in the tip of the brush. The dry brush is used to make many special effect such as: dirty looked, cow tail effect, etc. Dry brush technique will produce different effect then the brushing glaze with wet brush, because the glaze is just sticking it on the surface, without getting too wet to the surface. This Glaze will result in an uneven coloration and produce gross effects more vivid.

Dry brush is done mainly to produce gross effects on the antique finishing. Dry brush in the antique finishing is done together with other antique effects such as spatter or smudge pad to produce an antique effect with a dirty and busy impression.

Dry brush will be able to make the glaze will stick to the surface and snagged prominent or corners that will be swept away by the brush when the brush is moved.

dry brush glaze and veiling lacquer to make antique furniture

How to do dry brush glaze

•  Prepare the surface

Dry brush is usually done on a sealer or top coat. Dry brush is always followed by the application of the clear coat on the top of the glaze. Make sure the sealer is already well sanded and ready for the next clear coating application. The texture of the surface will make different effect to the dry brush resulted. The glaze will stick on the surface and make the texture of the surface more strong and visible. Make sure you have the correct texture if dealing with texture finish.

• Prepare the brush.

The brush for dry brush is the brush with thick tip but pliable. The badger brush and the paint brush are the best toll to do the dry brush. Keep the brush to be flexible. If the brush has been used for long time it could become stiff because it brings lot of glaze. When the brush is stiff, then we need to clean and wash the brush.. Soak the dirty brush to the thinner or mineral spirit and dry it before it used to do the dry brush.

•  The dry brush technique.

dry brush glaze

The key to dry brush is keep the glaze is not too wet. Pour some glaze on small cane or panel or cloth. Glaze is used should not be too much to avoid the bush too wet by the glaze. Use the glaze with little more viscous to make the brush effects can be produced more easily. Touch the tip of the brush into the glaze and then move the brush to the desired place to form the desired effect. There some special effect can be produced such as: the burnish effect (darker coloration at the edges or ends of the corners), smudge effect (dirty effect with uneven coloration), cow tail or spatter. 

 correct the glaze effect with steel wool

• Always do check and correction before sealer application.

The advantage of the glaze is that he could be reduced or added when he is dry as long as it has been layered with another clear coating. Do checking to the effect resulted before layer the glaze with clear coating. Too much glaze can be reduced with steel wool, while some more glaze can also be added if necessary.

When the desired effect has been obtained hen let the glaze to dry. The thin glaze can dry fast, but the thick glaze will need long time to dry. Avoid too thick dry since it risk to be crack when it layered by the clear coating. The glaze application always needs to be layered with clear coating. Soon after you get the effect and the glaze has been dry then apply a layer of clear coating to protect the glaze.