I found this vintage rocking chair at a yard sale last summer for $10! It had been sitting outside in the rain for awhile, so I didn’t really want to pay very much for it. But when the owner said $10 I figured I could afford that, even if it was a little weathered. I just loved the curves on it and thought it was a really unique piece of furniture. I had it sitting on my front porch last winter, unpainted, but this year I thought it would be fun to give this rocking chair a little paint job. Here is how I gave this vintage rocking chair a makeover using crackle medium and Fusion Mineral Paint homestead blue.
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Step 1: Sand the chair
The first thing I always do with my furniture pieces is give them a light sand. This rocking chair had a bit of the old finish left in some areas, but it was flaking off and pretty rough. I used my palm sander and sanded it all using 60, 80, and 120 grit. Then I sanded by hand all the curves and areas I couldn’t get to with the palm sander.
Step 2: First coat of crackle medium
Since this was an older piece of furniture, and since I planned to have it outside, I wanted it to have a bit of a weathered appearance. I started with some crackle medium, and applied it with a foam brush. I didn’t do it all over, but concentrated on the areas that would generally have a little more wear.
Step 3: First coat of paint
Then using a furniture paint brush, I applied a layer of Fusion Mineral Paint Homestead blue. When I paint furniture I try to do lighter coats and make sure there are no paint drips. I started on the bottom of the chair with all the curvy areas, then worked my way over the rest.
Step 4: Second coat of crackle medium
Once the first layer of paint was dry, I did a very light sand using 180 grit sandpaper. Then I applied another thin layer of crackle medium to the same general areas that I did the first coat.
Step 5: Second coat of paint
After the crackle medium was dry (about 30 minutes), I applied the second coat of homestead blue using a paint brush. This paint dries pretty fast, so I only had to wait an hour or so before moving on to the finishing steps.
Step 6: Distress
When I do furniture flips, I tend to go for a more modern look with minimal distressing. I wanted to try something a little different with this one to give it more of a weathered appearance. I used some 180 grit sandpaper to go over the entire chair, but focused on the corners and the curves to reveal some of the wood underneath.
Step 7: Seal the paint
And the final step is to seal the paint. For this, I chose to use General Finishes High Performance top coat in a flat finish. This is a water based finish but doesn’t yellow, and I’ve had really great results using it in the past.
Vintage Painted Rocking Chair MakEOVER
I love how this chair turned out. I think the deep blue paint and the distressing really bring out the beautiful curves of this vintage rocking chair. I added a bit of plaid and some fall mums, and that’s pretty much it for my fall decorating!
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wow….so beautiful
Thanks mom!
My mom has this same rocking chair. I’ll be sharing this with her. Thanks for sharing on To Grandma’s House We Go!
Jessica you did a wonderful job on the rocker!! I have one just like it but the back and seat are falling apart. Do you have any ideas for replacing them to original idea or can you think of an alternative way to make my own version of your beautiful rocker!
Thank you so much! I just googled it and it looks like you can buy a cane chair replacement. I imagine you want to keep the wicker look of the seat and back. It might take a bit more work to replace the seat, but that would make it good as new and then you could paint it
After all of the work….and had something to look that beautiful….I would bring that little girl into the house….noway would she be left on the porch.
Beautiful! You did a wonderful job!!!!
Beautiful! I just picked up this exact same rocker off the side of the road that someone was throwing out. It’s in pretty much perfect condition, just a few scratches here and there, the wicker is immaculate. People throw out the craziest stuff… my husband thinks it’s haunted, I think he’s crazy. Lol!! I was looking for refurb ideas and I love the color you used, I just recently painted my living room a similar color. Can’t wait to see how mine turns out!