Antique Silver Finish

A silver finish is always special. The silver finish will create a luxurious and expensive impression. While the antique finish will give the old-looking impression. The antique silver finish to the furniture will bring the furniture to the old look but with the luxurious and expensive impression. In previous articles, I have posted an article about the technique to make the high-gloss silver finish. Now in this article, I will share about the technique to make the antique silver finish. 

Here is the finishing process, step by step.

• Application of PU Sealer.

The wood surface is always rough and porous. Meanwhile, the silver paint needs to be applied to the smooth and flat surface. The sealer is the first coating that is used to make the wood surface smooth and flat. Actually, any type of clear coat can be used, but the PU sealer is the most recommended. The PU coating is the chemically drying coating that will give the strong film layer as the ideal base for the silver finish. PU sealer also has a high solid content that will give thick film built for the finish. Check the wood pores and grain. If the wood has big and deep pores and grain, then we have to apply wood filler first before the sealer application. For the wood with small and shallow pores and grain texture, then we can directly apply the sealer to the wood surface.

Check the technical data sheet and the specification of the PU sealer. Make a good agitation and proper mixing. Make a two-layer wet coat of PU coating on the surface and let it dry. Then sand the film coating with #320 or #280 sandpaper. Make sure we sand the sealer properly; no orange peel, deep scratches, dents, cracks, or uneven surfaces are allowed. The imperfectness of the PU surface will be visible at final finishing. Make sure we get a smooth and flat surface. If necessary, we can repeat the sealer application. 

•   Applications of the silver leaf.

To produce the best silver appearance, then the silver leaf is the best choice. Silver leaf is attached to the surface with special glue (gold leaf sizing). The glue is brushed evenly to the surface; wait a few minutes to let the glue dry. Then put the leaf on the glued surface. Make sure the silver leaf covers the overall surface evenly. To see how the silver was applied, you can see our previous post: silver leaf application. or the gold leaf application

• Application of sealer.

The silver leaf has to be layered with sealer immediately to get the protection for the air. The unprotected silver leaf will react with air, oxidize, and get color-changing. The NC system is the best choice to make antique finishing. The nc sealer is layered at the silver leaf by medium wet spray. Let the sealer coat dry, then go to the glaze application.

• Application of glaze.

The black glaze is applied to make the antique look at the finish. Brush the black glaze to make an even layer on the overall surface. Let it dry and do some highlights to make the antique impression. To see how to apply the glaze, you can go to our previous article: glaze application

• Application of sealer

Make sure that the glaze is dry, then do the sealer application. The NC sealer is sprayed wet coat evenly at the glaze. Let the sealer dry and do a scuff sand with #320 sandpaper.

• Application of pad stain.

In this finish, use the padding technique to make a more antique impression. Apply the pad stain by padding technique to the finish surface. The spotted yellow-brown stain combined with the black glaze will make the life look antique. Do some highlight at the pad stain to make the more life look. See our previous article : smudge pad for wood finishing

• Spatter and dry brush glaze

The last coloring and antiquing process is the application of spatter and dry brushing the glaze. Glaze is dry brushed at the surface to burnish the edges to enhance the antique impression. The black stain is spattered to make the more dramatic antique look. how to make spatter can be viewed at our article : spatter effect for wood finishing

• Application of top coat

The top coat used is the last layer of the whole process of finishing that works to protect the color and the antique look of the finishing. The medium gloss or low NC top coat is the best choice for this finish. Layer the NC top coat by spray-wet coat evenly at the finish layer. Let the layer dry, check the result, and make sure we have a smooth and even film layer. If necessary, we can repeat the top coat application to make sure we have a good finished film layer.