Stain Application for Distress Finish

The stain application technique and the physical distress are the main tools for creating an antique and old look in the finishing process. Physical damage that has been created in the physical distress step needs to be completed with the proper stain application to make the antik look product. You can get more information about the physical distress in our previous article: physical distress for antique finishing. Now in this post, we will share about the stain application to make antique finishing. 

Stain is the tool to strengthen and form the damaged, old, and antique appearance of the physical damage obtained from physical distresses. Stain with a special application technique can produce an antique appearance with or without physical distress; therefore, stain application is more important in the antique finishing process.

Antique furniture

Patina                                  

Patina is a layer that is formed naturally on the object's surface due to age. As time goes by, an object will change its appearance because of the absorption, deposition, or loss of elements due to the oxidation or chemical reactions. In antique objects, patina is widely used as an indicator of the antiquity of an item. Patina is an effect that forms naturally and takes tens or hundreds of years. In antique finishing, this patina effect is created with a special stain, namely glaze. With the proper application, the glaze can mimic the patina to make an old and antique-looking product.

Stain to do antique finishing

There are many types of stains that have been provided by the finishing material industry with various specifications, and some of them are specially made to make the antique finishing process. Here are some stains that are specially made to make an antique look.

• Glaze

Glaze is a stain that is specially designed to be applied between layers of coating. It is a wiping stain that is made from inorganic pigments with special binders and oil thinner that won’t dissolve the coating underneath. The glaze can be layered on the coating surface without resolving and damaging the coating, and it can be added and removed easily without affecting the coating underneath.

In the finishing process, the glaze is a very important material to make the antique finishing. Glaze can be brushed or ragged on the coating and layered it evenly with its color. The coloring result is a deep and soft look that is look like patina. Glaze is also used to fill wood pores, grains, gaps, cracks, and holes from the physical distress step to give the antique and old look. Glaze is also the material to create the dirty impressions, such as cowtail marks, brush marks, spatter marks, and others to make antiques. 

• Powder glaze

Powder glaze is a glaze but with the addition of powder in it. Powder glaze is used to create a dusty or dirty impression on the finishing. Powder glaze can produce a more dramatic dirty effect on the finishing by filling the pores and grain, holes, gaps, dents, and other wounds from the physical distress.

• Pad stain

Pad stain is a stain that is designed to be applied with a padding process. This stain is made from organic pigments that are diluted with alcohol, a solvent that can dissolve stains but is a weak solvent for coating layers. Thus, pad stain can be applied on top of the coating layer without damaging the coating film. Unlike glaze that uses inorganic pigment, pad stain uses organic pigment dyes that will provide brighter color and the transparent look. The effects of the pad stain application will be more transparent and bright compared to the effect of the glaze application.

• Water base stain

The waterbase stain is with water as thinner. Therefore, this stain can be applied on top of the coating layer without damaging the coating layer below. It can be used to make many antique effects in the finishing. Waterbase stain can also be used on solvent-based paint to create various antique effects as needed.

Coating for the antique finishing

Actually, almost all types of coating can be used to do antique finishing, but NC coating is the best material to make antique finishing. NC coating gives the clearest look, with a thin film layer to produce an excellent natural antique appearance. NC is a one-component coating that is fast-dry and easy to use. By using the NC coating, then the antique finishing process can be done easier and faster. The NC coating is able to accommodate the many steps to create the antique effects in the finishing process. The NC character that is not too sensitive to the environmental conditions makes it can be applied in the non-ideal room conditions when the antique finishing process is carried out.

Other coating materials, such as PU, AC, and water-based coating, can actually also be used, but will experience difficulty with the longer drying times and the complicated coating application of the coating.

The distressed stains

• Spatter, specs fly

Spatter is splashes of liquid as the result of insect droppings or other dirt that falls and sticks to the surface. Spatter in the finishing process is created by sprinkling of the stain on the surface to make dots or stain marks. Spattering can be done with a brush or spray gun with special adjustments. The stain used is a pad stain or glaze that can be easily removed again if it is considered too excessive.

Spatter 

• Patina look

This patina look is one of the most important effects of the antique finishing. In the antique finishing process, this patina is produced by applying glaze. Glaze that is wiped and brushed onto the surface properly will produce an even layer of the stain on the surface. The coloring resulted is a soft and deep look as patina. When it is applied to the wood, the glaze will fill in and stay in the pores, grain, holes, dents, gaps, and other crevices. This will produce a stronger impression of natural aging. The highlight process can be done by removing or reducing the glaze layer on the surface to produce a more lively and attractive appearance.

 

Patina look

• Dusty look

Dust is one of the natural impurities that are often found on old objects. Dust that falls and sticks to the surface of an object tends to be difficult to clean since it will remain inside the wood. This dusty appearance can be created using the powder glaze. Powder glaze is basically a glaze, but with the addition of talc in it so that it can produce more dust effect. This powder glaze is usually gray or white, although it can actually be made in other colors.

dusty look

• Smudge pad

Smudge pad is the padding method that is purposed to produce a dirty or smudged impression. The smudge pad is done using pad stain. The smudge pad is done in the finishing process to make the smudge and dirty look in the finishing. 

smudge effect

• Dirty look

Objects that have been used for a long time will become dirty for various reasons. In the antique finishing, the dirty effect is made by glaze application. There are many techniques application can be done to make many dirty effect. The glaze application by brush on the surface can form many dirty effects on the finishing.

dirty look

• Watermarks, water spots

Watermark or stain mark is one of the stain application techniques to produce a dirty or stained impression due to liquid droplets. Unlike spatter, which is in the form of small splashes, a watermark is a stain mark with a larger size. It is the effect of imitating the dirty or damaged appearance due to liquid droplets from tea, coffee, or other drinks. Some watermark techniques can also be used to imitate wood fungus.

watermarks

Things to consider when doing the antique finishing

• Shape and model of the stuff

All kinds of antique effects created must be applied according to the shape and model of the stuff. The antique effect and distressed creation must make the product look more beautiful and attractive. One of the considerations used to determine the appearance of the finishing is the shape and design of the stuff. Actually, there is no strict rule in the finishing look since it depends on the person's taste and feeling. In general, antique furniture is designed following furniture models in the past. Then the furniture looks and models in the past can be used as a reference to determine the furniture look of your antique product.

• Type of stain used

Each type of stain has its own different properties and will provide different coloring results and effects. Pad stain made from organic pigments will generally be able to produce more transparent and bright colors. Therefore, when used to create an antique effect, it will also provide a brighter and more transparent coloring effect. On the other hand, glaze made from inorganic pigments will produce colors and effects that are more closed than pad stain. Make sure you know your stain's character, and then you can maximize it to make the finishing look you need.

• Application technique

To produce the desired effect, the right application technique is crucial. There are many application methods that can be used to produce antic effects. Make sure you are familiar with the technique you are using and know the appearance results that will be obtained. Create a step panel first to ensure the finishing steps you need before carrying out the finishing process on goods or products on a large scale.