Wiping, brushing, patinating, bleaching, graying and staining with coffee or tea are just a few ways to age wooden furniture. Even beginners should not have problems with their application.
Retro aesthetics has been very fashionable for some time. In addition, old, wooden furniture look very elegant and undoubtedly have their own charm. However, we do not always have such antiques at hand, and their purchase may go beyond our budget. There is a perfect solution for this. Just use one of the following techniques of wood aging and in a few moments you can enjoy beautiful furniture with character.
First, apply paint to the areas that will naturally wear off, such as all handles, edges and corners and decorative trim. It is also good to wax them with candle wax. Then paint the entire piece of furniture in a different, contrasting color and get down to wiping the top layer until the first one begins to show through. Sandpaper or a small knife will work well for this task.
Another way is wood brushing, where we use a wire brush to disturb the top layer (but not the structure of the wood), creating scratches and gouges in irregular shapes that look like they are decades old. It is then necessary to remove all burrs and carefully smooth the surface. Finally, the whole thing can also be treated with varnish, wax or oil.
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Patination involves the application of several layers of paint on furniture, maintaining the proper order. One method is bleaching wood. Furniture painted in this way attract attention and continue to be at the top of the popularity, especially in interiors decorated in a rustic and Scandinavian style.
Wood bleaching can be done in several ways. The first is to paint it white (sometimes there is no need to do anything more). Another way is to paint several coats and then wipe the wood down. You can also cover the piece of furniture (along the grain) with diluted white paint so that the natural color shows through.
You can use wax from a candle and wipe the edges or decorations with it. First, paint the wood with a darker paint, then wax it, and then paint it white and wipe those edges and decorations (the wax coating makes the paint not adhere well, so it is easy to wipe it off).
A designer effect can be achieved by using shabby chic method. Here, we follow the steps given above, but for the first layer, do not use a darker paint, but a toned down, powdery color, such as pistachio, raspberry or turquoise. Then, after rubbing, it is this color that will show through.
We also recommend lyeing the wood for a subtle effect. Lye can be purchased at any DIY store. Then, it is enough to rub it in with a soft brush, and when it dries, sand it and protect it with varnish or oil.
To grey wood you need apple cider vinegar, steel wool (available at any DIY store, old nails may also be suitable), and a large jar in which to leave our mixture for a few days. When the liquid has already taken on a grayish color, then apply it to the wood with a brush. Remember that the longer you leave the jar closed, the darker the color will become.
Coffee and tea are also used to color wood. As you know, they are strong dyes, and stains from them on clothes or other surfaces are often difficult to remove. Therefore, they are perfect for aging our furniture. Just brew a strong cup, let it cool and after that rub it into the wood structure. As a rule, you will need to repeat these steps several times to get the desired effect.
