Aging the wood adds that touch of character to your home and garden. Don't have time to waste waiting for nature to take its course? Try one of these methods to give your wood furniture a more dated look.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Aging the Wood with Scouring Pad and Vinegar
Step 1. Find out what happens when scourer and vinegar interact
The vinegar dissolves the steel wool over time. That's why scouring pad and vinegar are perfect for giving a used look to wood.
Step 2. Create a solution with a scourer and vinegar
Fill a glass jar with vinegar and place a piece of steel wool in it. Let it sit at least one day but up to five for a darker solution.
Step 3. Prepare your wood
Sand with sandpaper to remove stains or previous polish that may be preventing the solution from adhering properly.
Step 4. Make a tea-based polish
Boil some black tea to brush on the wood before the solution with the steel wool. Tea contains tannic acid which reacts with vinegar and darkens the wood. Tea alone will not impart any color, it will only make the wood appear wet.
Step 5. Apply the scouring pad-vinegar solution
Use a brush to spread it over the surface of the wood. You should see it change color immediately and dry within a couple of hours. One coat is enough for an "aged" look, but you can also repeat several times if you want a darker wood.
Step 6. Finish the job
Leave to dry then with a damp cloth and cold water remove the residues of the steel wool. You are done, but if you wish you can still give a coat of wood wax to better preserve the effect over time.
Method 2 of 4: Aging the wood with Colors and Polishes
Step 1. Apply a paint stripper coating
Let it absorb then remove the excess. This will remove the previous color of the wood, and will enhance the grain and texture.
Step 2. Add a layer of neutral tint
This choice serves to give the natural look and color to the wood that has been covered for many years. If desired, it can also be used as a last step.
Step 3. Create a rustic shade
Combine antiquing, tinting and mixing to achieve a more natural wood color. Make sure you use all components from the same brand so you get a consistent color.
Step 4. Apply the 'rustic' dye
Use a paintbrush and cover all of the wood. There are many ways to do this:
- Apply one coat for a more delicate look. The wood will look newer.
- Give more hands for a worn look. This will darken the wood and the color will be more intense
- Create a kind of "freckles" on the wood by passing the polish with a toothbrush. In this way there will be some irregular dark colored spots.
Method 3 of 4: Making Cracks
Step 1. Paint the wood
As long as it is acrylic paint, any color is fine.
Step 2. Apply some vinyl glue
Use a lot of it to coat the wood. The appearance must be opaque. Let it dry partially so it stays sticky.
Step 3. Apply a second coat of paint
Pass the color over the still sticky glue and let it dry.
Step 4. Wait for the crack effect to develop
This can take several hours, but will appear once the glue and paint are completely dry.
Method 4 of 4: Antique Wood
Step 1. With nails and a sock
Fill a sock with nails or screws and hit the wood until you get the result you want.
Step 2. Hit the wood with a hammer or mallet
Light blows of the hammer will create small marks while the mallet will engrave the wood more deeply.
Step 3. Apply some sandpaper
This will remove stains and give the wood a rough texture like it would normally acquire over time.
Step 4. Drill "woodworm" holes with a fine-tipped drill
To make the wood look old and weathered, you can make the holes yourself. Use a hammer and nail or drill. Then hit each area where you punched with the hammer to make small indentations.
To give a more plausible sense to the woodworm holes, remember that the tips must be fine and that you have to pierce irregularly. Also change the angles at which you penetrate the wood
Advice
- Before you age your wood, look around if you can find authentic ones in old barns or farms. Many people have unused ones that you can buy or use with less work.
- There are wood and art supply companies that sell aged or antiqued wood.
- Wood ages and dyes differently depending on the type. For example, the pine one turns a brown-gray while the sequoia a dark sienna when they use vinegar and steel wool.
