Supplies:
Two paint colors
White glue
Water
Paintbrushes
I can remember back when I didn’t know any better and I paid good money for products that created a crackle look on a wood piece. I did that for years, here and there, as I ended up with furniture that I wanted to age. But then, a friend told me about using a much cheaper product to crackle the paint on a particular object. When I tried it, I realized that it works as well as the crackle paint product, but was a fraction of the cost. School glue – white glue – can help you create a beautiful, cracked paint appearance on most any wooden item – and some other furnishings.
When I learned that I could give a piece of furniture an aged look with glue I was thrilled. I’ve saved a whole lot of money over the years by using white glue. Even though “school glue” comes in various types, such as glitter, or colored gel, the ordinary white glue is the type that you need to create a crackle finish on a chosen object. Get the piece ready by making sure that it is freshly cleaned and dry.
It takes two different colors of paint to create the perfect crackle appearance and one of those, if you desire, can be the existing paint. Otherwise, apply one fresh coat of paint to the piece. The paint should be the darker of the two colors. Let it dry completely before moving on.
Use ten parts water to one part glue; mix well. Apply a coat of the glue to the area that has been freshly painted. Let the glue dry for an hour or so; it should no longer be wet but should still be sticky. Paint the second, lightest color, over the glue. Go over the glue only once with the paint. Allow it to dry completely and, as it does, it will begin to crackle.
There are a few tips that will help you create the nicest piece that you can. To achieve small cracks apply a thin layer of paint; to create larger cracks apply a thick layer of glue. Create the best look by applying the glue lightly in some places and heavier in other areas. Also, use long brush strokes rather than going back and forth with smaller strokes.
You’ll be as thrilled to discover the usefulness of white glue for paint crackling as I was. In fact, the process is so cheap and easy, that you’ll end up crackling many different things. Try a table, a dresser, a lamp, a picture frame, a wrought iron piece, a baseboard, or a cabinet door. You’ll adore the aged look in any room of the house.