DIY Crackle Finish

A crackle finish is a great way to doll up furniture, shelves, serving trays, decorative chairs, frames etc..
This is a table I purchased at a Garage Sale for $5.00. Later re-sold for $25.

First Step: Sand lightly, prep the surface for painting.

Apply Base Coat: You can choose any color you desire. I typically go with darker colors for the base coat, but you can choose a lighter color for the base coat as well and still get a neat, unique look. I  chose to mix brown, black and gold.Let dry completely.

Apply Glue. You can purchase a crackle medium at a Craft store, however glue works just as well, and it’s cheaper! Elmer’s glue is good, in the case I used wood glue. The amount of glue you apply and the brush strokes will determine the size of crackle that forms. Feel free to experiment with applications. I used a moderate amount of glue in long even strokes on this table.

Let glue dry until slightly tacky. If glue gets too dry the crackles will not form. Use your top coat acrylic color (available at Craft stores) and apply in even strokes ensuring you have plenty of paint on the brush. Excessive brush strokes can cause lumpy areas.

Let dry. I highly recommend applying heat with a blow dryer. It helps the crackles form in a more uniform manner. Allowing to completely air dry makes for some spots that don't crackle, but maybe you want that! Just experiment, it's just paint!

Finished Product!