How to Antique Brass, Concrete, Wood, and Other Surfaces

Recently I discovered a cool finishing product called Gem Glo.

It’s an oil-based glaze made by Gemini used by professional painters and furniture refinishers to create an antique effect. That sort of finish is useful not only for making something look older, but also for making it look not so cheap.

I bought it to use on my concrete fountain project, but it came in handy just this week while I was finishing up my new mailbox:

Here’s the before picture. Yikes!

The (very important) address numbers I chose for the box were really shiny brass and originally stuck out like a sore thumb. I couldn’t bring myself to spend $20 a number at Restoration Hardware for an antique brass number, so these $3 ones from Home Depot were going to have to do.

I sponged some of the Van Dyke brown glaze onto them, and ragged the excess off with a bunched up cheesecloth. Here you can see the difference.  (With the glaze, without, and then obviously still in the package…)

The glaze costs around $18 a quart at Texas Paint. I do not think you can get this at the big hardware stores. It is expensive, but the paint guy told me it would go a long way, and that appears to be true. It has a more watery yet more clingy consistency than paint, which makes it work better at sticking in nooks and crannies.

Have you used glaze or paint for antiquing? Please comment!