Let's Decorate a Tea Box

This tutorial is not very complicated, but, in my opinion, the result is a warm and friendly work. You will need the following materials:

• a blank — a tea box for bulk products;
• a layout;
• white glue or special glue for decoupage;
• putty;
• acrylic lacquer;
• acrylic paint: colors — white, ochre (you can replace it with construction colorant of the same color), burnt umber, green;
• sandpaper (No. 120 to 150, 220, 400 and 600);
• stencils, spatulas, brushes, sponges, scissors.

If there are shatters and cracks on the wood, then it is better to putty them in advance. Then, after drying, sand the workpiece with sand paper No. 120 to 150. Wipe the dust with a damp cloth. Even if there were no shatters, lightly process all the sides with sandpaper to smoothen the surface. Wipe the dust.

On the side of the box there will be a solid stencil pattern. I put it on two sides, but you can make volume from all the sides. So, apply putty on two opposite sides using a stencil. To do this, apply a stencil to the surface and, holding it well, fill the ornament with putty, using a rubber spatula or a plastic card. Without waiting for the putty to dry, detach the stencil from one edge and gently remove it completely.

If after drying there are bumps on the ornament, remove them with fine-grained sandpaper. Wipe the dust with a cloth.

Prime all the sides with white acrylic paint.

Prime the lid with acrylic paint in two layers, sanding in between. Everything has to be smooth to stick a motif well.

Now I will try to describe in detail the process of applying a large fragment of the layout with a help of a clear pocket.

1. Put a quarter of the layout on a clear pocket (you can take just a piece of plastic) face down and liberally spray water from a spray bottle.

2. The layout wrinkled, straighten it in water with your fingers or a very soft brush. Raise the file to drain excess water.

3. Cover the layout with the second clear pocket and smoothen the layout from the center to the edges through the second clear pocket.

4. Carefully remove the top clear pocket.

5. Smear the surface of the lid with glue.

6. Apply the layout to the lid (the clear pocket is on top)

7. Smoothen the layout on the clear pocket — do it from the center to the edges. You can use a soft cloth or a soft spatula, a roller.

When the glue is dry, sand the excess paper. Lacquer the surface.

Back to the bottom of the box. Paint the box in a grassy green color. Dry well.

Now, let's give the box a more shabby look. This will require a dry stiff brush and some white paint. Dip the brush lightly into paint, remove the excesses and carefully tone all the sides and the bottoms getting a thin "dusty" and "faded" layer.

After the paint is dry, start lacquering. The layout on the lid is glued from edge to edge, so you don't have to adjust the surface. Therefore, it will be enough to make 3-5 layers of lacquer which are applied with intermediate drying. It is possible to sand the product every two layers (sandpaper No. 500 to 800). It is necessary to consider that the lid goes into the gaps on the box, so take it easy with lacquer, or it will be difficult to close/open the box. On the sides it is enough to put 3-4 layers of lacquer with intermediate drying.

Here is how a finished product looks like.

The inside part of the box coud be:

- simply wooden,

- toned with a solution of strong tea, instant coffee or manganese,

- treated with water stain and then lacquered,

- processed with a toned lacquer,

- painted with a dense paint.

I made the photos for this tutorial a couple of years ago. What other techniques can you use? You can spray the side walls, for example. Or you can glue labels, patches on clean, not volume sides.

Similar works:

Thank you for your attention! I wish you all a good day!