The Door -- Adventures in Antiquing

January 26, 2013

I intended to post this over the summer, but like all DIY projects for me...they take months. I'm the DIYer who comes back time and time again, changing, adding a little more, wondering if someone else will finish this thing for me. It never happens. But with such a large project, it had to eventually get done. Otherwise, people would continue to ask why I had a door in my living room. One of my favorite bloggers, The Nester, did several posts a few years back about this blue door she had on her wall; since then I've been in search of a door for my wall.

Two years ago I found one just like I wanted for $20. It was beat up and weathered perfectly.

But Jeremy said no.

Then, this past summer, I found one in the trash.

It was door love at first sight.

I did what I could to stuff it into the little Smurf of a car I have, and promptly rode down the street with both back doors wide open on my tiny little blue Focus. It was a sight to see y'all! But I finally had my door, giant hole in the back and all. So I did the next thing that one would do after scoring a door out of the trash, look on Pinterest for that blue door from years and years ago. Oh those pre-Pinterest years, how everything was so much more difficult to keep up with. I could have easily scrolled through the saved posts in my reader, but that would take AGES! So I settled on this little gem as my inspiration-


Now excuse the next few pics, nothing in my brain felt the need to break out the good camera. 

The door, pre being attacked by me. 

Round one:

Something in my snapped when Peacock blue what the color of the door I was going to put in the living room. I spray painted it, by the way, and it took 2 cans to get the job done. I didn't sand it before hand, I just washed it down with vinegar to stip off the nasty. 


Now from this point I don't have many pics before the finished product, but I'll explain the process anyway. 

Step 1:
Spray painted the door a darker/brighter color--2 cans

Step 2:
Bought scrapbook paper from Hobby Lobby that looked like old wallpaper. I tore it up, like it would if it were real wallpaper that someone had ripped off the door and spent the next several months randomly walking past the door and Modge Podging another piece in place. I used a sponge brush and liberally slathered the paper in place. If it wrinkled a little that was okay, it was not supposed to look perfect. 

Step 3:
I went around the edges, and anywhere that would have worn down naturally with Vaseline. I paid special attention to put a lot over areas with the paper, while still making sure the blue had some too. 

Step 4:
I bought 2 more cans of spray paint, in a much more neutral blue and went to town. I painted the entire door yet again. 

Step 5:
After the paint dried I wiped off the spots where the Vaseline was, being sure to remove all of it. If you don't remove it, whatever you put or paint there will eventually come off. Now I was left with a blue door that showed signs of the paper and bright blue underneath. 

Step 6:
I used Valspar Antiquing Glaze following the directions on the bottle. I also watched several videos on YouTube about how to use the stuff. It worked best for me, since my door was so large, to paint the Glaze over the half the door liberally. Then I began wiping it off with paper towels and going over it with a dry (bristled) paint brush (to get the streaking paint effect). It got too dry a few times, so I just sprayed it down with water (I kept a spray bottle close to my side!) and got to work again. You have to work quick with this Glaze, it took about 10 minutes from start to finish and I was spraying my heart out to keep it from drying. 

Step 7:
I attached an antique looking door knob:)

Here is the finished product.


I'm really happy with how this turned out, for awhile it was questionable. If you have any questions about what I did that I didn't clear up feel free to comment, email me labrideblog {at} gmail {dot} com, or tweet me @labride.