Painted Furniture
Holy Heat Batman
One unbearably hot afternoon, some leftover paint, and a plain oak stool became a little piece of House 173.
Across the country temperatures have been outrageous this past week. I don't know, maybe with age I'm getting soft, but I just couldn't bring myself to work outside, so I did a little project in my workshop in the nice, cool basement. So, I started with a small oak stool - boring!
Then I primed and painted with some Behr primer and paint leftover from the back porch remodel.
Creating the "No. 173" Branding
I've noticed that numbering things is all the rage lately, so I thought I'd give it a try. I don't have stenciling supplies, so using Word (you know - the computer program), I wrote out "No. 173" and went through all the fonts until I found one that looked kinda old world-y. Then I realized I didn't have any carbon paper. So I used some painter's tape to tape my printed number to the stool and traced the outline of the numbers onto the paint. I just used a pen and pressed down hard enough to leave an imprint but not too hard so as not to push through the paper. Then I very carefully painted in the numbers using black satin finish paint left over from some long-forgotten project.
Then, using my tools of ignorance (I was a catcher when I played baseball, baseball fans will get the reference!) -
I began my favorite part of this kind of project - distressing!! I've found that the trick to convincing distressing is restraint. Real wear happens where hands grab, feet rest, and years of use slowly soften edges—not randomly across every surface. I try to imagine where this stool might naturally wear over twenty years and let that guide the sandpaper instead of simply removing paint wherever I feel like it.
Distressing and Antiquing the Finish
I used a Minwax stain pen in Mahogany to lend some grime to the distressed parts, then sanded over those parts so it didn't look "painted in." After that dried, I put a quick wipe on, wipe off coat of Minwax "Ipswich Pine" stain to give the whole thing a bit of a patina and tone down some of that bright white.
The Finished Stool
The final step was to put some satin polyurethane on the seat, just because it's right next to the sink and the shower. I liked the way the numbers have a worn-through look to them, although you can't really see that in the pictures.
And here it is in context! We'll probably put some little basket on it for small odds-n-ends. And by-the-way - It's the lighting, there is absolutely NO PINK in the bathroom!!
Thanks for stopping by!
This is exactly the kind of project that reminds me why I enjoy following House 173. Most people would have looked at a plain oak stool and either left it alone or bought something new. You looked at it and saw an opportunity to make it feel like it had always belonged in the house.I especially liked the improvised lettering technique. No fancy stencil machine, no expensive supplies, just a printer, a pen, and a steady hand. That's real DIY thinking. The distressing also feels believable because you didn't overdo it. Too many "vintage" projects look like they survived a tornado. Yours looks like it simply spent decades being used.I also appreciate that you mentioned the polyurethane yellowing. Those little "wish I'd known that" moments are some of the most valuable things experienced DIYers can pass along. They make the next project just a little bit better. - Anderson Iman
Frequently Asked Questions
Why distress painted furniture?
Distressing gives new furniture the appearance of natural age and wear, making it feel more at home in older houses.
Can you make your own stencil without stencil supplies?
Yes. Printing lettering on regular paper and tracing it into the painted surface is an easy way to transfer a design.
Why use stain after distressing?
Applying stain to distressed areas creates depth and simulates years of accumulated dirt and wear.
Why did the white paint turn yellow?
Many traditional oil-based polyurethane finishes develop an amber tint over time, especially over white paint.
What paint was used on the stool?
The stool was finished using leftover Behr primer and paint, demonstrating how small projects are a great use for leftover materials.
Why add "No. 173"?
The custom numbering gives the stool a vintage industrial look while making it uniquely part of House 173.
Keywords
painted stool, vintage painted furniture, distressed furniture, bathroom stool makeover, DIY painted stool, antiquing furniture, vintage décor, House 173, furniture distressing, farmhouse stool