Dragging is a paint technique that can be applied to furniture by dragging
a darker color over a lighter base color. The effect is similar to the strie
paint effect and shows thin stripes over the base coat. The dresser shown here
was originally finished in a dark brown varnish. It is made from veneered wood
and although still in a good condition, I wanted to give it a fresh look and
decided to paint a base coat in an off-white color and add a bit of character
by dragging a light grey color over the base coat.
|
Dresser in white and light grey drag effect |
This
is what is needed:
Universal undercoat (white)
Off- white good quality Latex as a base coat ( I used Happy Ending from
Plascon)
A light grey in any water based Acrylic paint ( I used Night Jewels from
Dulux)
A water based scumble glaze
A water based sealer ( I used Plascon’s Glaze Coat)
A Strie brush or a brush with stiff bristles
A soft paint brush
The
procedure is as follows:
Step 1: Remove the
handles and clean the wood with sugar soap.
Step 2: Sand the
surface with 220 grit sand paper – take care not to sand too much because the
veneered layer is very thin and can easily be sanded through to the particle
board sub -surface.
Step 3: After
removing dust, apply one coat of Universal Undercoat. Let it stand overnight to
dry.
Step 4: Apply two
coats of the base coat. Sand between coats with 220 grit sand paper to get a
smooth surface.
Step 5: Mix the
light grey with the scumble glaze in the ratio of 1 part paint, 1 part scumble
glaze and 1 part water.
Step 6: Use a brush
with stiff bristles to apply the mixture. Only do a small area at a time. Dip
the paint brush lightly in the paint and wipe most of the paint from the brush.
Apply the paint in long strokes to leave a a streaky layer of paint. Repeat to
get a proper covering of paint.
Step 7: Take a dry
soft brush and brush over the wet paint to remove excess paint and to blend it
into the base coat. Wipe the brush clean with a cloth after each stroke.
Step 8: When the
paint is dry, apply one coat of clear water based sealer to protect the
surface. I used a semi-gloss sealer.
Step 9: Fit the new
handles.
In the picture below I have zoomed in on the top to show the paint effect. It is not very clear but gives an idea of the striped effect.
|
Dragged paint technique |
As an alternative, the total surface can be covered with the glaze
mixture. While the paint is still wet, take a piece of rolled up mutton cloth
and drag over the paint to remove some of the paint. Take the strie brush and
drag to create a striped effect.
For a more rustic look, take a piece of 150 grit sandpaper and drag in
the direction of the lines. Wipe off the dust and seal with a sealer.
Tip: If you do not have
a strie brush, take an old brush and cut away some on the bristles with a
sciccors. The idea is to get an uneven spread of paint and a streaky
appearance.
First do a test run
on a piece of card board to get the hang of applying the paint.
|
Soft brush and drag brush |
Shown in the picture is a soft dry brush for removing excess paint and blending and an old brush with the bristles cut with a scissors to get a streaky paint stroke.
More paint techniques can be found in my book "How to Spray Paint Furniture"