Distress like a pro

Love Pieter and Janharm’s weathered furniture? Nadine Vosloo of Tjhoko Paint offers the following advice on how to achieve the look:

YOU WILL NEED

• enough Scotch Brite scouring pads

• one roll of 100-grit sandpaper

• 250ml paint in the colour(s) of your choice

• original oil-based petroleum jelly

• good quality 50mm paintbrush

• 50mm brush for applying the petroleum jelly

Before you start...

Clean the surface well with a cloth dipped in lacquer thinners. 1 Wait about 20 minutes for the thinners to evaporate then apply the first coat of paint in the first colour. 2 Wait about 30 minutes for the paint to dry completely. Dip the other 50mm brush in the petroleum jelly and apply thick, long strokes of the jelly here and there; no specific pattern is required. Make sure you don’t apply the jelly everywhere. 3 Apply the next coat of paint. It won’t adhere to those spots in which the jelly was applied. Wait for the second colour to dry (about 30 minutes). 4 Using the scouring pads, rub over the second colour. The thicker the petroleum jelly was applied, the easier it will be to remove the paint in those spots. When most of the paint has been removed, rub with the sandpaper until all the petroleum jelly residue has been removed. 5 Repeat the process until you’re happy with the look. 6 Sand to a smooth finish with the sandpaper.