How To Crackle

Crackle Medium Instructions

Crackle is a medium that has a mind of its own at times, so you need to keep this in mind when working with it. Two very important things to remember:

This is only used with a water based paint

Never over-brush when applying a top coat of paint

Your base can be almost any surface - stained, painted, or raw wood. Make sure this surface is clean before applying the crackle medium. A thin coat will result in thin cracks, a heavier coat of Crackle Medium will result in larger cracks. (If puddling occurs as it dries, use a scrunched up plastic [Saran Wrap® or plastic bag] or a brush to pat out the puddles). You can also re-wet the medium if you don't like the looks of it, then allow to re-dry.



We also suggest using a bristle brush to apply the medium. Your top coat will also follow the brush strokes in the cracking process, so if you want random cracking you can cross brush, more uniform cracking will appear if you use even stroking (one direction). Allow the crackle to dry at least two to three hours before applying the top coat of color.

Apply the top coat of color (water base only) in even strokes and avoid over brushing. Cracking begins almost immediately. The top color can also be applied by spraying if an exceptionally large area needs to be covered.



The Crackle Medium can also be thinned with distilled water to make a thinner crack. We recommend one (1) to two (2) tablespoons of water to a cup, using a wire whisk to mix it up well.



After the top coat is dry, you can then apply Antiquing Glaze or our Clear Gel Varnish for more durability.



If you have never used Crackle Medium before, it is a good idea to do a practice piece and get the feel of the medium. Clean up with soap and water.



The example at the left is made up of Quaker Green and Linen White paints with a crackled finish.



Antiquing Tips and How-to

Antiquing can transform either a new or old piece of furniture with the right techniques and a little effort on your part.

When antiquing your piece, it is not necessary to strive for perfection. Your aim is to create an old or aged look. You may want to add some distressing marks to the piece, such as creating dents with a hammer, roll a large nail over the surface to create smaller dents, a piece of chain or anything that will make marks that indicate use over the years. You can make worm holes with an ice pick or nail at random.



You may also stain a new piece of furniture to give the wood color before applying your base coat of paint. When sanding off a finish, you will not go down to bare wood, there will be some color there.



To make worn areas, you can sand until you come down to the stained wood or original finish, if you have two coats of paint on, you can just bring up the first coat of color in your sanding. You can also take some paint remover and dribble over the piece in different areas, wipe off, and it will also make a distressed area. A light sanding can make a huge difference in the finish also.

You start with a base coat of paint (your preference of color) that is allowed to dry and if a second color is desired, apply at this time. Distressing can be done when this coat is dry (distressing can also be done, such as dents, nail holes, etc., before painting)

Apply a transparent glaze (stain, antiquing medium, or paint thinned down) wipe off to achieve an aged appearance. A good bristle brush is an excellent tool for moving the glaze around on the surface, also keep a clean cloth available to wipe the brush bristles clean. You can also make a "fly speck" effect by dipping an old toothbrush into a thinned stain or antiquing medium and running your thumb over the bristles to spatter the spots on your finished piece.

It is always good to do a practice piece first to get the "feel" for the finished piece