How To Faux Distress With Plaid Layering Block

October 31, 2016

plaid layering block

I'm so excited to share with you an awesome painting tool I recently picked up at my local craft store. It's so easy to use and it produces an excellent result. I'm not being paid, I just wanted to share! Are you someone who likes that shabby chic look when it comes to furniture? If you don't buy it that way you have to paint and distress the surface yourself. I'm here to tell you that there's an easier way to get the look you want. 

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Many people love their furniture with an age-old, time-worn look about it, and I've definitely been known to do some distressing of my own. Seeing as I love all things vintage, I'm a real pushover for anything having a good distressed look about it. That's why I was so happy to have found this.     

plaid layering block

It's a simple wooden tool called the Folkart Home Decor Layering Block, from Plaid. The idea is to paint the block, then drag it along your corners and edges to make the piece look like its undergone some natural aging, or wear and tear. Easy peasy. Really.

white chalk paint shelf

Here's an up close and personal shot of one of my recently painted shelves. The paint had a great texture, almost like chalk paint. So I expected it to distress very easily. Unfortunately, the paint UNDERNEATH my chalk paint was not very distress-able so I ended up with a streaky mess, rather than the shabby chic distressable finish I was going for. Enter the layering block.

black painted layering block by Plaid

Here's the block all slathered up with paint. I just poured some of my FolkArt acrylic black paint onto a paper plate, and used a sponge brush to apply the paint to the block.

black painted layering block by Plaid

Here's what the block looked like after I gave the shelf a good going-over on the edges and corners. It easily washes off with soap and warm water. 

white shelf with black layering block distressing

And here's the perfectly "distressed" shelf  after I was finished using the block. You can't even tell that it's not "distressed!" I should mention here that they call it a "layering" block because the idea is that you can paint the piece one color, let it dry, distress with another color and repeat (with even more colors) until you've achieved the desired time-worn finish. For this small project I didn't even need to do all that. I was extremely pleased with the black paint from the block being added to my white shelf. So simple to do, but with a great impact.     


I had great fun setting up some vignettes for this shoot, to show you just how fabulous the distressed finish comes across.

 
From fall-themed, 


to silver display shelf,





to Thanksgiving,






to Christmas!


I know, we bloggers have to start in on Christmas way too soon! But when in Rome.... Here you can see one of my precious glass cloche Christmas ornaments I picked up on clearance last year. I know they'll be front and center this year as part of my Christmas decor. Just you wait!

So what do you think? I was pretty impressed with it to say the least. It's an inexpensive, non-messy (no dust!) way to "distress." And I know I'll be using it a lot more in my upcoming painting  adventures.

I had so much fun with this that I've even considered making a video tutorial showing you just how it's done. Would you all be interested? Just let me know!

I hope you enjoyed reading
 How To Faux Distress 
With Plaid Layering Block. 
Thanks for spending time with me today!

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Leave a Comment!

Queen Of Rods said...

I would definitely like to see a video of how you created this layered look, and I would like to see what the paint block looked like before you added the black paint to it. Thanks for another interesting blog post :)

Lisa@New Again Design said...

Can't wait to try it! Thanks for posting!

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

What a fun and easy technique, Kathleen! I have Christmas decorating on my mind already, too!

My thrift store addiction said...

Kathleen, I've never seen this before and could have really used it on a recent project! Thanks for the tip!

Cecilia said...

Oo, that's so cool! It looks great!
Christmas...I can't even yet. I haven't even decorated for Thanksgiving. Lol. Hope you are having a wonderful day!

Sharon @ Blue Willow House said...

Looks great. I would love to see a video of how you accomplished the look with the paint block.

Unknown said...

Sounds like an awesome tool, thanks for sharing. BTW, Love the look of your shelf and your vignettes are beautiful - very inspiring.

srpprcrftr said...

Would like to see video demonstrating use of layering block. While I know some people really like heavy distressing it's nice we have options of distressing degrees.
I prefer it as you showed it on your shelf, that's enuf for me.
Have been in craft shows here in Grand Junction, CO areas. most of people made derogatory comments about degree I distressed (as discussed previously). Guess some people (so many locally tho?) just don't like it or have never seen it before. Some people aren't aware of blogs and what they contain which surprised me. And most weren't one bit interested in educating themselves even after I described all the wonderful ideas that ate shared and demonstrated.
This is not area in which are any antique shows, ever.Why have no idea.
Considering areas we've lived before, antique shows are not even wanted. Whoa, what in heck have I gotten myself into? Maybe I need to be organizer of antique show?


Have great week

Tuula @ Thrifty Rebel Vintage said...

Love how your shelf turned out Kathleen. What a great tool! I'm all for saving time and effort on the whole sanding thing. Thanks for sharing. I'm going to have to get me one of those blocks.

https://www.vintagesouthernpicks.com said...

Yes I'd be interested in a video about how to use it. A picture is so much easier to understand anyway.

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