Painted furniture and joinery almost always show signs of age. This is a naturally occurring process resulting from exposure to light, dampness, dust, dirt and general wear and tear over the life of the object. The paint on these objects will fade, darken, flake or craze and can be chipped or scuffed. It's condition largely depends on the conditions under which it is kept and maintained.

The aged effect is often aesthetically pleasing and often adds to the value of the piece. It is not surprising that painters and decorators have shown great interest in this look and have devised various ingenious techniques for artificially ageing new paint work.