Polyvine Craquelure

Polyvine Craquelure is a specialist decorative effect medium designed to produce a fine, aged crackle pattern on interior surfaces, creating a classic “aged paint” or antique look. It is used between two layers of water‑based coatings to generate controlled cracking that reveals the base colour beneath, giving depth and texture to furniture, panels, interior doors, picture frames, feature walls and other decorative elements.

Unlike heavy crackle products that create large fissures, Craquelure produces fine, subtle craquelure patterns — similar to the natural network of cracks seen in aged paint or lacquer — which makes it particularly suitable for refined decorative schemes, heritage restoration, shabby‑chic interiors and artistic furniture finishes. The extent and character of the effect can be influenced by application thickness, drying conditions and the contrast between the base and topcoat colours, allowing decorators to tailor the visual result from more delicate ageing to a more pronounced antiqued look.

Polyvine Craquelure Highlighter are small pigment compounds designed to be worked into the fine fissures formed by the Craquelure system. They help emphasise and define the crack patterns so the texture stands out more visibly. By choosing a contrasting shade — white for lighter backgrounds or dark brown for deeper effects — you can create a more aged, antique look that enhances depth and character in decorative finishes, particularly on furniture, frames and decorative features. These highlighters are typically used after the crackle effect has formed to emphasise the network of cracks and bring out the colour contrast between the underlying base and the top layers.