Perfect Antique Glaze

Creating water based antique glazes for furniture and objects. Non-toxic water based glaze.

Antiquing Basic Principles - For use on walls, furniture, objects, and in fine arts techniques.

Create old world effects and charm using acrylic paint and water based glaze solutions. Antiquing is the process of aging a surface to produce a time-worn appearance. There are many methods of antiquing objects, furniture, mural paintings and wall surfaces. These include paint effects, waxes, weathering, and physical distressing techniques that mimic the natural aging process.

Glaze refers to a substance that is thinned to create a transparent or translucent film of color. Diluting any paint substance, tinted varnish or tinted water essentially can produce a glaze.

To produce an acrylic/latex-based antique glaze mix the colors from the ‘Classic antique glaze’ in their proper proportions.

Acrylic glazes should be applied over a water-based, latex basecoat (emulsion), of the color of your choice. Eggshell sheen is preferable, but never flat (matte) finish. Matte sheens can absorb the glaze at irregular rates, making it difficult to keep the glaze moving while it sets up. Higher sheens, like semi-gloss or gloss, are too slick and the glaze has a difficult time bonding to the surface during your application time.

Artists acrylic paint Acrylic paint for fine artists can be used with acrylic glaze coat, acrylic matte medium, latex varnishes and water. Acrylic glazes dry quickly. They work well over small areas, objects and furniture but can be difficult to work over large surfaces. ‘Burn’ marks may appear due to overlapping of glaze color when working from one area to another. Often a latex extender, like 'Floetrol' can be added to extend the drying time when working on large areas. Excellent for antiquing objects, paintings and small furniture.

Solvent used for acrylic glazes: water

Mixol Universal tinters Mixol universal tinters can be mixed with oil- or water-based products. Essentially pure pigment with very little binder, Mixol universal tinters must be used in conjunction with an additional binder such as paint, glaze coat or varnish. A very strong coloring agent, a little goes a long way. Always add small amounts of universal tinters (sometimes drop by drop) until desired color is reached. Mixol universal tinters can be intermixed to create a wide color palette and it recommended that a test area or sample board is used to determine proper dilution amounts and color balance.

More about Mixol universal tinters.

We come up with a standardized mixing formula for a 'Classic Antique Glaze' that most closley represents the natural aged toning of objects over time. This umber/brown tone works well over objects and furniture, aging over gilded surfaces and anything you want to look older or time worn.

Mixing these 3 colors will create the 'Classic Antique Glaze' tone suitable for most any object needing some basic aging. Of course, you can play with the blending proportions, but we've found this ratio blend to be quite versatile.

3/6 Raw Umber

2/6 Burnt Sienna

1/6 Van Dyke Brown

Thinning your color glaze to the correct transparency.

Thinner- water

Varying the amount of thinner will adjust the darkness or lightness of the antique glaze.

This recipe can be used alone or adjusted for specific decorative finishing jobs with the addition of a glaze coat, or varnish. Some decorative treatments, including color washing, rag-rolling, marbling and wood graining, require the use of glaze coat.