Decorating Tip: How to Make New Maps Look Old

Thinking of doing some decorating with maps? Have new maps and want to make them look older? There’s a couple different techniques to help you age maps and make them appear antique or well-worn. One technique for involves tea and can be messy and time-consuming but produces the best results.

Choose a pot that will hold the size and amount of maps that you’ll be aging. Fill with water and use the appropriate amount of tea bags for the gallon amount of water in the pot. Read the instructions on the box to determine how many tea bags to use. Bring tea to a boil, as per instructions on package, then allow to simmer a few minutes.

Begin placing the maps in the pot, with tea still simmering, until all the paper is wet. If you want the map to simply look discolored, allow it to sit in the pot for about 10 minutes. Remove the maps and lay them out on a surface where they won’t easily stick, like a sidewalk, driveway, or large piece of foil. Gently stretch the map out to its original shape taking care not to tear it. Allow to dry completely before using it for any decor project.

If you prefer your maps to look really old and worn – even torn in spots – boil the maps for 20 to 30 minutes. Maps printed on really thick paper will need extra time in the boiling pot; those printed on very thin paper, less time in the pot. After dumping the water and taking the map out, you may find that pieces of the map have actually broken away from the whole map. That’s okay.

Lay the main part of the map out on a surface to dry. Be sure to retrieve even the tiniest pieces of the map from the bottom of the pot. It’s rather like a jigsaw puzzle when you try to put the map pieces together, but take the time to push each piece in it’s proper place on the total map. If there are tiny gaps it’s okay – it just lends more to the aged look of the map. Make sure corners are unfurled and edges are aligned before leaving the map to dry.

Throughout the course of the drying time pat the map to help it dry flat. When the map is dry enough to handle but still slightly damp, flip it over to allow drying time for the other side. After the map is completely dry it’s ready to craft with or frame.

A quicker, easier way to age maps is to place tea in a squirt bottle and spray the map. Lay the map out on a flat surface and spray liberally with the tea. Don’t wipe the tea away; just let it dry on it’s own. You may have to repeat the process a couple of times to get the look you want.

There are other things you can do to distress the map, including tearing off a corner, making small rips in the folds of the map, sanding slightly with sandpaper, dripping things on it then wiping it off – like mustard or Kool-Aid – or even stabbing it with a knife. Maps make great wallpaper for a den, a nice cover for a worn desktop, or just a fabulous framed picture for many rooms.