Glazing Furniture FAQs

I have had numerous contacts about glaze, so I thought it might be nice to pass the information on to all of you. The crazy thing that I have noticed about buying glaze is that the people at Lowes and Home Depot can sometimes cause confusion when it comes to this product. I'm sorry about that, and I'm sorry if you have been frustrated in your search to find the right product.

Here are my top 10 tips for glaze:
1. Do NOT buy a gallon. I glaze furniture a LOT and believe me, you do not need a gallon. In fact, I don't even need a gallon. I have used about 1/4 of a gallon combined between all my projects and countless friends who have borrowed my glaze.

2. The brands of glaze that I have seen people find are: Valspar (at Lowes) and Behr Antiquing glaze (at Home Depot). I have Ralph Lauren Faux glaze, but some report it impossible to find. (If you have found another brand that I have not listed, please let me know so that I can add it to the list).
 
3. Depending on the size of your project, I would suggest to buy the smallest container of glaze that you can. I know that Valspar has a size that costs around $7.00. For most projects, this would be plenty.

4. Yes, it needs to be tinted. Again, I wish I knew why Lowes and Home Depot employees are confused at this, but if you cannot buy it with a tint in it, you will need to tint it yourself. I simply add black paint to mine until it is as dark as I want it. If you want it brown, simply add brown paint instead of black.

5. Can you glaze something a light color? For example, if you paint something black, could you glaze it white? Honestly, I have never tried this. But in theory I guess you could. I'd love to see the finished product if anyone has done this.

6. You need to rinse out your cloth a lot during the glazing process. In fact, I even switch cloths for a fresh one quite often. If you notice that your glaze is not rubbing off and it is leaving a film on your furniture, then you need a new cloth.

7. How long do you leave the glaze on before wiping it off? For me, this is an instant thing. I like for the glaze to stay in the cracks and crevices of the piece, but be wiped pretty clean on the rest. So, I brush it on with a paint brush, and then wipe it off.

8. If your furniture does not have cracks and crevices for the glaze to go into, glazing may not be the best choice for your furniture refinishing project. A few of you have contacted me saying that the glaze has not made much of a difference on your project. This is because the technique of glazing works best when making details pop out of intricate furniture. If the furniture lacks that character to begin with, the glaze would simply make the paint look darker and a little weathered.

9. If your glaze goes on too dark for your liking, get a clean, wet cloth and wipe it off. Most of the glaze will wipe completely off, and you can start over with less glaze.

10. Could I use regular paint to create the same look? No. I have tried it, and so have countless readers. The paint does not rub off like the glaze does.

Here are a few pictures of projects I have glazed:

I have had the chance to read Altar'd's newest ebook on decorative finishes. I would never recommend something that I have not read completely myself to my readers. This ebook is very well written and includes some GREAT tips on adding decorative finishes to furniture projects. Check it out by clicking the image below.

If you purchase the ebook, I will get a portion of the product sale. I would not endorse something that I don't think is great, but I wanted to keep it real. I get a lot of e-mails about how to paint furniture, and this book is written by professionals who paint furniture everyday.