To create an aged, crackled paint effect all you have to do is apply Rust-Oleum Crackle two component system in conjunction with any regular, matt emulsion paint. It produces a distressed, vintage look that complements any piece of furniture or interior decoration.
Follow these easy, DIY instructions below or watch our video above to achieve the look…
Protect your surroundings with newspaper and dust sheets. Ensure the surface of the object you are painting is smooth (a light sanding may be required), clean and suitably primed if needed.
Apply your first colour of vinyl matt emulsion. It is most important that you use water-based emulsion paints for the overall effect to work properly. The first coat of emulsion should be brushed out and laid off in one direction as this determines the directional lines in the crackle.
Leave the first coat of emulsion to dry — the drying time will depend on the type of emulsion you’ve used but it’s usually around two hours. Stir the Rust-Oleum Crackle Base Coat then brush this on in the same direction as your first coat of emulsion. Cover your object thoroughly then leave it to dry for a minimum of one hour.
Apply your second coat of emulsion. This should be applied as quickly as possible because the crackling starts almost immediately. A great tip is to practice this technique on a test piece a couple of times before you start your project. Be ready, as once you start there’s no stopping! For the best crackle effect, another coat of emulsion should be applied at right angles to the first coat of emulsion and the base coat.
Remember to make sure at this point is that you don’t overwork the top coat — apply it in one pass of the brush only, otherwise it can mix with the crackle base and spoil the finish. The thickness of the second coat of emulsion determines the size of the cracks so you need to try and make this as even as possible over your surface. If you make a mistake, don’t panic — just wash off the second coat of emulsion and the crackle base coat with a damp cloth before it dries and start over.
When you are happy with the finish, leave this over night and then apply the Rust-Oleum Crackle Top Coat which seals and protects the crackle effect. Whatever you do don’t use a water-based varnish instead as this will react with the crackle base. Where possible, try to have your object laying flat to dry. Leave the top coat to dry for two to four hours.
