You know that I love discovering old rusty pieces and wooden treasures and giving them new life. But sometimes there is a lot of unknown about the wood and if it is safe for my home. I also don’t want to rely on wood that may not be sturdy for a project that I want to last a long time. So when I started work on a final project for our master bedroom redux (the bedroom I started 14 months ago!) I knew that I wanted to use new lumber that would last a while. However, I wanted it to fit the style of the rest of the bedroom and so I needed to find a way to give the wood an aged and weathered look.
If you are wanting an easy way to transform new lumber into something that looks weathered, and slightly gray, this is the tutorial for you! Check out my 3 easy steps.
To create the weathered wood look I used:
- Antiquing Wax
- White Wax
- Old T-shirt
- Hammer
step 1 | To begin I used an antiquing wax on my new lumber. I applied the wax with an old t-shirt, and rubbing it into the wood in a circular motion. I applied the wax heavier in the cracks and knots to give the wood even more character.
step 2 | After allowing the antiquing wax to dry for about 30 minutes I went over the wood with a white wax. Once again I used an old t-shirt and applied it in a circular motion.
step 3 | The wood was left to dry for another 30 minutes and then I started the final step. Taking a hammer to the wood.
This is the part where my husband came over and wanted to know what on earth I was doing to the lumber he just picked up for me. Giving it some character, of course! I hit the wood a few times in different areas and clusters to help with the aged look.
Tomorrow I will be sharing with you just what exactly I will be creating with the weathered wood. And then I think the bedroom will finally be ready for its reveal!
Where would you love to use this weathered wood technique? I’m thinking a coffee table would be lots of fun, and I may have just the piece for that project stashed away in my “treasure room”. If you have any other tips or tricks for giving wood a weathered look please feel free to share in the comments! I love learning what is working for you.
Happy creating,
angie says
thank you for sharing this technique we are scavengers and have lots of old wood sometimes we just need to make something look old. Now we know how thanks for sharing
come see what we shared at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
AnnMarie says
That antiquing wax really transformed the wood instantly! What a great quick fix. I found a really easy way to distress or age painted wood….leave it outside in the northeast winter by mistake. Looks great now!!
Becky says
Ha! Love it! I’ll keep that in mind 🙂
Bobbie says
I use this way to make wood look old. Take a pickle jar (or any old jar) and put 0000 steel wool, and vinegar (white) vinegar into the jar. Pull the steel wool apart into small pieces, let this mixture sit for a few days, then just use a throw away paint brush and brush it on the wood. Let it dry. It will turn the wood gray. If you want it to be more gray put another coat on it. Be sure to let the wood dry between coats. I have sanded pallet boards clean, then used this method to make it look old again. You just pu your pain brush in the mixture and slop it on your boards. Very easy to do.
Have fun and keep that old nd new lumber happy with a new look.
Bobbie
Marsha says
I use the steel wool/vinegar trick, too, but I brush it with strongly steeped black tea first. The tannins in the tea make it “age” more realistically.
maddjax2shirley says
I have a better method- Weathered Oak stain. Creates a good weathered wood look for a lot less work.