Three Steps Plus Three Tips for Glazing Furniture

Hey, doodlers! How are ya? I’ve been working on a few projects that have been waiting in the basement for a few months. Maybe longer. Yikes! While working on this end table, I thought I’d share a few tips for glazing furniture. Of course, you can use these techniques for most anything you want to glaze.

A close-up of one leg, already painted and distressed. Notice the curves and grooves- glaze will bring out those details and tone down the bright white.

Supplies:

Glaze- I love Valspar’s Tintable Glaze

Sponge brush and a soft-bristle brush

Paper towels or rags

Step 1

Apply glaze with the sponge brush.

Get a heavy coat of the glaze down in the grooves.

Step 2

By the time I get the whole leg covered, it’s time to start wiping the glaze back off.

Step 3

See how the glaze is messy and uneven in the grooves? Following the lines of the details, use the clean, soft-bristle brush to remove the excess glaze and even it out in those areas. Wipe the brush on paper towels to keep it dry and relatively clean as you’re working.

This step is especially helpful in corners, where it is nearly impossible to remove the glaze attractively by simply wiping with paper towels. You’re sort of feathering out the glaze with the brush.

I tend to like the glaze to be light and subtle, but if you want more contrast, or find that you removed too much glaze, you can always add another coat, following the same steps.

Finish up with whatever top coat you like. On small projects like picture frames, I apply a couple of coats of spray varnish. On larger pieces, I brush on two or three coats of clear varnish.

A few tips:

Apply glaze over a clean, dry surface. If I’m using latex paint, I add one coat of clear finish before glazing. Latex paint seems to grab the glaze more than I like. The clear finish dries harder and makes it easier to wipe the glaze back off.  (I used milk paint on this table and didn’t need to add a clear coat before glazing.) You’ll still need to finish off with a couple of coats of varnish.

Work in small sections at a time. Slopping over into other areas will cause you to have darker splotches in those areas. Sometimes I tape off adjacent areas to keep things neat.

Constantly check the section you’re working on from all directions. It’s really easy to miss a spot, particularly the back side of a leg, and end up with dark drips or smudges.

That’s it! Let me know if you have any questions about glazing furniture. This is a great way to tone down a color or highlight details.

Doodles,

Partying here:

Savvy Southern Style