Distressing in the decorative arts is the activity of making a piece of furniture or object appear aged and older, giving it a “weathered look,” and there are many methods to produce an appearance of age and wear. Distressing is viewed as a refinishing technique although it is the opposite of finishing in a traditional sense. In distressing, the object’s finish is intentionally destroyed or manipulated to look less than perfect, such as with sandpaper or paint stripper.
