Aging a tree with your own hands. Different technologies with step by step photos

Beautiful aged furniture can bring an atmosphere of sophistication and harmony to your home. Under natural conditions, the tree grows old under the influence of various natural factors - wind, rain, sun rays etc.

But it is not at all necessary to wait a couple of decades for the purchased headset to acquire such a unique look. You can use special technologies for aging wood.

Benefits of aged wood

Aged furniture looks elegant and stylish in any interior.

Aged wood is a beautiful, durable and functional material from which various items furniture: tables, chairs, beds, chests of drawers, etc.

The benefits of aged wood are as follows:

  • The surface does not require special treatment, if desired, it is enough just to cover it with varnish.
  • The effect of aging allows you to give any piece of furniture an antique look.
  • Natural wood pattern looks unique and inimitable.
  • Aged wood furniture will look harmonious in any interior.
  • This material is environmentally friendly and anti-allergenic.
  • Aged wood is reliable and durable.
  • Finally, furniture made from this material will never go out of fashion.

What kind of wood is best to age?

Suitable for aging soft wood or material of medium hardness. It has a brighter texture. This requirement is met by spruce, larch and pine. The breeds presented are distinguished by the fact that they have soft fibers. In spring and summer, annual rings form on them most quickly, causing the fibers to become “loose”. Species such as beech and maple are not suitable for aging, because their texture is weakly expressed and almost uniform.

Training

Before aging a tree, its surface must be prepared

Before you start aging wooden furniture with your own hands, you need to conduct a quality preparation of the surfaces that you plan to process. To do this, remove all defects and dirt. These may be traces of fat and other stains. If this is not done, obsolete pollution will appear after applying a tint coating to the tree. Also remove old paint or varnish and dismantle excess fittings that interfere with antique processing.

Ways

When the preparatory stage of the robots is done, proceed to aging. First, decide on the technology that you would like to age the furniture with. There are the following options:

  • Coloring;
  • Craquelure;
  • Surface brushing;
  • Stain processing;
  • Wood processing with special chemical compositions (olding technology);
  • Application of gilding;
  • Achieving a lime effect (liming technology).

Let's look at each of these ways of aging a tree in more detail.

Coloring

Wood aged with staining technique

If you want your wooden furniture to look worn, you can use the staining technique. Choose a base tone that will show through the top layer of paint.

For the base, you can use any color, as long as it is more saturated than the auxiliary.

You can also use color mixed with white paint and a water base. For the second layer, it is better to use light shades. This combination of colors will create the effect of burnt paint. After the paint has dried, treat it sandpaper with high graininess. This will remove excess paint. Sanding is necessary until the effect of worn paint appears. The main layer will come through it. The final stage of processing is varnishing.

Craquelure

You can paint the tree with craquelure technique. In other words, create the effect of cracks on wooden furniture. You will need a special craquelure varnish. After applying the base color to it, the varnish will crack. The color of the cracks depends on the selected base. To add originality, you can use several colors at once. Craquelure - good way quickly give your wooden furniture an antique look.

Surface brushing

Wood aged with brushing technique

Brushing technology is a simple method of aging wooden furniture using a wire brush, fine-grained sandpaper, a chisel and a drill. Before proceeding with the main process, you need to remove the top layer of wood. Brushing can be combined with surface painting. Use sandpaper and a brush to remove the top layer, and use a chisel and a drill to create furrows and wormholes. The brushing technique is most often used to age the floor and boards. After completing the main stage of work, cover the surface with oil, varnish or stain.

When decorating wooden furniture, it is important not to overdo it, because luxurious furniture can be turned into junk.

Good to know: Brushing is great for furniture made from hardwoods such as walnut, ash, oak and larch. This technique is contraindicated for maple, cherry, beech and teak.

Stain processing

Wood aged with wood stain

This technique is used in combination with others. Coating furniture with paintwork material will achieve the effect of staining. First you need to treat the surface, and then wash off part of the stain with a damp sponge. It is important to leave the edges, bends and cracks darker than the main part of the surface in order to emphasize the effect of aging.

If after the first time you were not able to achieve the desired result, just carefully sand the surface. Some areas can be repainted with a brush dipped in stain. To make the color more saturated, after completing the main stage of work, cover the wood surface with a primer or the desired color. At the very end, go over the surface with antique wax using a soft cloth.

Olding technology (treatment with special compounds)

Wood aged using the aging technique

Olding is a very interesting technique for aging wood. With its help, you can recreate the effects of fading, swamp moss, burnout, etc. Special chemical reagents will help to achieve amazing results. This technique is suitable only for hardwoods (oak, hornbeam, etc.).

This is interesting: If softwood is aged, it will simply become unusable after being treated with strong chemicals.

The final step will be the coating of the surface with varnish. It will serve to protect the surface.

Gilding

To qualitatively age furniture and achieve an antique look, you can use gold platinum. Applying gilding is one of the simplest procedures that does not take much time. Just completely paint the furniture in the chosen color and wait for it to dry.

Useful information: Gold paint must be applied in a thin layer. Only then the furniture after painting will look perfect.

Laiming

Wood aged using the laming technique

Liming is the process of aging furniture with the help of lime effect. First, prepare the surface, degrease it. Treat the wood with a special pigment or paint. paints and varnishes will help to achieve any shade and texture. Apply paint along the fibers. So you emphasize the natural structure of the tree, and add the effect of "clogged dust" to the corners. For best results, it is advisable to apply the liming composition with a brush or gauze swab.

Useful information: When choosing a base color, do not forget that after drying it will look a little lighter.

Video. How to artificially age a tree with your own hands at home

Aged wood is one of the fashion design trends of this season. Using any of the techniques described above, you can easily give surfaces such an effect at home. Artificially aged furniture will harmoniously look in the apartment and fill it with comfort.

Brushing is a unique technology that allows you to age and structure wood. This solution provides an opportunity to give new wooden products an aged noble look. All more people prefer to create a unique interior in a house or apartment using wooden finishing materials. As a rule, a tree that has a more aged look looks very noble and luxurious. But not many people know that even new wood products can be given the luxury and nobility that a tree acquires after many years of operation. In this article, we will take a step-by-step look at the brushing master class.

Increasingly, when decorating the interior of a house, they use wooden products, beams, ceilings, doors with the appearance of aged wood.


Tools for casting wooden products:

  • Grinder or electric drill with nozzles;
  • Iron and abrasive brushes;
  • Bulgarian;
  • Wide brush for varnish and oil.

Stage 1. Rough wood finish

We take a wooden blank, in our case a board made of soft wood. Next, using a grinder and a special disk on wood, we make shallow notches, as shown in the photo below.

As a rule, this processing of wood by a grinder will already be enough for its further use on ceilings or in places where a person cannot touch it with his hand, since in this case, during the initial processing, burrs remain on it.

Stage 2. Fine finishing

In the event that you plan to use wood after the casting process for window sills, doors, furniture and other interior items, then additional wood surface treatment will be required. First of all, you need to slightly smooth and level the surface of the wooden product. For this we will use a metal brush. It is worth noting that it is necessary to work with such a brush on the surface without much effort so as not to spoil the already finished wood structure.

First of all, it is necessary to install an iron nozzle with a coarse fraction on an electric drill. As shown in the photo below, we carefully go through the entire processed rough surface of the wooden blank without undue effort.

It is worth noting that iron brushes are used to smooth the surface of a wooden product, and burrs are removed with abrasive nozzles. Thanks to this, the aging of wood looks not only plausible, but also safe for humans, since the surface of the wooden product will be perfectly smooth without burrs.

Stage 3. Surface treatment with abrasive brushes

After the entire surface has been passed with an iron nozzle, we proceed to a fine finish with abrasive nozzles. When working with abrasive nozzles, you should press hard to carefully remove all burrs on the wooden workpiece.

Stage 4. Finishing

After preparing the wood for finishing, you can use glazing or treat the surface of the wooden product with drying oil, oil, stain, varnish.

In the photo below, the wooden facade of the house has been glazed.

Oil coating allows you to get the effect of "aged" wood. To do this, we need a regular brush and wood oil in the interior. It is best to choose dark-colored oils, in which case wooden products will look more noble. We carefully cover the entire surface of the product with oil.

Stage 5. Giving the effect of "aged" wood

In order for the dark recesses to remain dark, and the light ones to remain light, we will need to treat the surface of the product immediately after impregnation with oil. To do this, we take an ordinary cotton rag. By carefully wiping the entire surface of the product with a rag, we create a visual effect of “aged” wood, as shown in the photo below.


Wood is a beautiful material from which a variety of interior elements are made. It can be decorated different ways. One of the popular techniques is the aging of wood. This is a rather difficult process that requires certain knowledge from the master.

Expert advice will help you figure out how to do this processing yourself. Wood aging can be done in several ways. Having considered all the techniques, it will be possible to choose the best option.

Why is it necessary to age wood?

Wood aging is carried out according to different reasons. This technology allows you to give the material the required decorative qualities. With the help of this finish, you can decorate certain styles of the interior. To save money on the purchase of antique, exquisite and very expensive decor elements, technology is used artificial aging natural material.

The choice of such a finish can also be caused by the individual preferences of the owners of the house. If they want to decorate the interior of their home with just such products, the artificial aging of wood will provide a wide field for creativity. Give the material the necessary appearance It will be easy with the help of the following methods.

There are several approaches that help to give the wood the necessary decorative qualities. For them, certain materials and tools are used. Also, the master will need a sufficient amount of free time. Haste in this case can lead to an unsatisfactory result.

Mechanical aging of wood

Exist various methods wood aging. They allow you to give the array a certain appearance. One of the most popular approaches is mechanical aging. It is also called brushing or texturing. The wooden surface is treated with a special brush. This allows you to stylize the material, giving it an antique look.

Brushing a tree involves removing the "pulp" from the structure. This gives relief to the workpiece. It is this process that occurs with a wood massif for a long time. It dries out under the influence of various environmental factors.

Experienced craftsmen claim that this is one of the most simple ways wood processing. However, it is not always possible to apply this approach in practice. It depends on the characteristics of the wood species. Also, with the method it is possible to obtain a relief surface. In some cases, it is better to decorate the interior with other types of treated wood.

Features of mechanical aging

Wood brushing may not be used for all types of natural material. This method is suitable for processing almost all coniferous varieties, especially pine. Brushing is also used for larch, walnut, ash and oak. These are the most popular types of wood that are currently used in the construction and decoration of premises.

Mechanical aging is not carried out for fruit varieties of natural material. Also, this technology is not used for processing beech, maple, teak, a number of exotic types of wood. They are rarely used in finishing work. Therefore, the mechanical method is so popular.

For processing, you will need to prepare a special brush. It has a metal "pile". The procedure requires a sufficient amount of free time. You can't hurry. Otherwise, you can spoil the appearance of the array. In this way, you can age small blanks. For an extensive amount of work, it is necessary to use a grinder, drill or a special machine.

Manual brushing

Do-it-yourself wood aging requires a certain concentration from the master. The material must be dry. Otherwise, it will not be possible to provide the required decorative surface. Bugs will appear. Dry wood is brushed along the fibers. To make the pile stiffer, it can be trimmed.

As a result of such manipulations, it is possible to remove the softest fibers from the outer structure of the array. After that, the grinding process is carried out. To do this, use a brush with finer bristles or sandpaper with a coarse grit.

After this processing, you can color the array. For this, stain is most often used. This allows you to create the desired shade. Other dyes may be used. The appearance of the finish will depend on the correctness of this stage. This is followed by polishing and varnishing. This allows you to protect the natural material from decay. The surface is varnished several times.

Machine processing

To process a large volume of material, it is necessary to use special equipment. It can be a grinder or an electric drill. A special wire nozzle is put on the angle grinder. The work must be carried out carefully so as not to damage the material.

A wood aging machine can also be used. Such equipment is most often used in enterprises. When applied, it is possible to achieve high speed and quality of aging of wood massifs. Roughing is done in just a few minutes. At this time, small soft fibers are removed.

Woodworking machines are purchased only if it is necessary to process large volumes of materials. The most popular variety is the Festool Rustofix RAS 180 unit. The Makita 974 grinder, which comes with an abrasive brush, is also used for self-treatment of wood.

Chemical aging

Artificial aging of wood can be performed using a different technology. In the process of processing, the array is cleaned with coarse sandpaper. Then proceed to its chemical aging. If hardwood is to be treated, an ammonia solution can be used. You can also use and ammonia. It contributes to the darkening of the array.

You can simply clean the surface slightly for a clearer selection of growth rings. After that, stain and varnish are used. There is also another method. Another possible option chemical aging is the application of wood stain on water based. When the desired shade is obtained, the composition is washed off with a sponge and water. This emphasizes the contours of the rings, making the edges darker.

Another option is patching. This is the most complex and highly decorative processing. In this case, it opens the pores on the background of a more even surface. For this, special chemical compositions. They can be purchased in specialized stores.

Heat treatment

Thermal wood aging technology is another way to give the array an antique look. The procedure is carried out in several stages. First, the entire surface of the material is fired. It is also possible to perform processing only on certain areas. It also gives a decorative finish. Best for this purpose gas burner. Before starting work, you need to practice on an unnecessary piece of wood.

Roasting will remove all soft fibers. After this, knots, annual rings of wood appear more clearly. The next step is mechanical processing. Carbon deposits must be removed with a brush with a metal "nap". This will also increase the relief of the picture.

Dry brush method

Another relatively uncomplicated approach is dry brushing the wood. To carry it out, you need to use your imagination. First, scratches, potholes, chips are created on the material. You can skip this step, as this processing is irreversible.

First, one coat of paint is applied to the surface, and then a second. Then they should dry well. Next, using fine sandpaper, the top layer of paint is erased. This must be done unevenly. In some places, the abrasions should reach the first coat of paint, and in others - to the wood. Particular attention should be paid to the protruding parts and the edge.

Next, paint is applied with a dry brush. You need to pick up a flat hard brush. The paint should be contrasting. If the base is light, the top layer should be dark. The paint should look like bristle marks. Strokes cannot be crossed. Next, fresh smears are smeared with a tissue napkin. Then apply a transparent varnish. It is applied in 2 layers.

Wood restoration

Another type of wood aging is its restoration. This must be done if the appearance of the decor is lost. First you need to clean the surface. Next, the wood is covered with acrylic paint in 2 layers. Then the protruding surfaces are rubbed with paraffin. They are painted in the desired shade. Further, after drying, the places treated with paraffin are cleaned off. Finishing carried out with varnish.

Having considered the features of the aging of wood, you can independently create the necessary decor.

Recently, the use of aged wood in the decoration of furniture and interiors has come into fashion. Even the simplest cheap wooden furniture will look stylish and expensive after artificial aging. This article will open up some simple and not very expensive ways to make old wood for furniture and other wooden products with your own hands.

Under natural conditions, a tree ages under the influence of the sun, wind, rain and other phenomena. And this process takes place over a long period of time. We will make the process of aging wood artificial, which will significantly reduce time and improve the final result. If the whole work is described briefly, it will consist of two stages: mechanical processing of wood (light damage, removal of soft fibers) and painting with varnishes and paint.

To age a tree, you will need:

  • hard metal brush;
  • circular brush;
  • large and small skins;
  • estimate;
  • several brushes;
  • antiseptic for wood;
  • White Spirit;
  • dark Pinotex or dark azure Belinka;
  • white azure Belinka;
  • big sponge.

With a set of these tools and materials, we can age a tree in five different ways. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

The first way to age a tree is to remove soft fibers and paint

You can artificially age a wooden surface with a stiff brush, which removes the soft fibers of the wood and thus creates a relief, the lines of which will be emphasized by the color of the wood.

The wooden surface is pre-sanded, then it is processed along the fibers with a circular (using a special nozzle for a grinder) or a metal hand brush, as a result of which soft wood fibers are removed from the surface.

Sawdust is removed with a special brush with soft bristles, but in no case by hand, in order to avoid splinters.

The tree instantly changes its appearance, acquires a beautiful relief and a contrasting color, which is specially emphasized by staining in two layers.

For staining, Belinka translucent azure is used, which is applied to the cleaned surface with a brush or roller.

The tree will already have a rather attractive appearance.

After a few minutes, a sponge is taken and with its help the layer of glaze is carefully removed, as a result of which the wooden surface acquires a relief. You can leave the surface as it is and cover it with a clear varnish if you like this color of aged wood.

But if you want to add color to the style a la Provence, then another autumn thin layer of Belinka white azure is applied on top of the first layer.

After a few minutes, we carefully remove the fresh azure with a sponge, as a result of which we get a bleached aged tree, with which we create stylish interior a la Provence. When the glaze is completely dry, the surface can be varnished with the same base as the azure, or another layer of colorless azure can be applied.

This way of aging wood is ideal for beams and other elements of wooden structures, when creating an antique style.

The second way is the relief of antiquity and multi-layer coloring of wood

With the help of this method, the tree is specially given the appearance of an old, antique thing, worn by time. For this, a multi-layered coloring of the tree is used.

Previously, the surface of the tree must be specially subjected to all kinds of minor damage: it is beaten with a hammer, pierced with an awl, torn with a saw, sealed with screws or steel rods, everything possible is done to give it the relief of antiquity.

Then the surface is primed with a layer of Pinotex. After it dries, it is covered with a continuous thick layer of tinted paint (antiseptic).

Since Pinotex has a thick consistency, it can be placed unevenly, as it is much thicker than Belinka's azure. It is used in cases where you need to create a thick bottom layer on an aged tree.

Azure Belinka is more liquid, it is easily and evenly distributed over the entire surface of the tree, creating an even surface color.

When the first layer dries, it can be intentionally subjected to minor damage: rubbed with a fine or coarse sandpaper, walked with a metal brush. The main thing is not to overdo it. The time span here should be kept to a minimum. According to experts, the most reliable effect of antiquity is given by painting with Pinotex with an uneven layer.

After a deliberate aging procedure by scratching with a sandpaper or a wire brush, a translucent layer of white azure is applied to the surface so that a dark lower layer can be seen through it. It is not necessary to apply paint in an even layer.

After the top layer has dried, the upper layer of white glaze is scraped off with a metal brush with longitudinal movements, as a result of which a relief pattern of aged wood is created. Such a pattern has a very contrasting color, which is very far from the natural color of aged wood. To bring the color to a more perfect tone, it needs to be made a little muted. To do this, the white glaze is diluted by half with white spirit and the wooden surface is covered with this mixture.

The aged wood, created on the basis of Belinka blue, has a calm warm tone after final processing. Pinotex gives a more interesting decorative effect, with a deep dark color basics. It is used in the creation of aged furniture, as well as in decoration elements.

The third way is brushing and white icing

This way to age a tree is the easiest and fastest. The wooden surface is treated with a metal brush, then covered with a layer of white glaze.

After the glaze has dried, the surface is again treated with a metal brush. As a result, we have a bleached wooden surface, slightly aged with a relief pattern from a metal brush.

Master class: "How to age a tree?"

Let's look at another way to age a tree with your own hands. The photo above shows the stages of work, and below I will describe them in detail.

1. You need to choose the right tree for aging. You should not choose young wood, because of the small fibers it has no decorative value. Resinous wood will be difficult and long to process. The tree should have a pronounced structure and healthy knots.

3. With a chisel, you need to make shapeless serifs on the edges of the board, as if with an ax.

4. A drill bit with hard nylon bristles can be used to remove soft wood grains. At the same time, you should not be too zealous and put pressure on the tool, pressing should be light so that the efficiency of the work does not decrease. You can also use a metal brush for processing - in this case there will be a rougher result.

5. You can add the effect of wormholes, but this is not for everybody. Using a core or a blunt nail, we make holes 1-2 mm deep.

6. Now you need to clean the surface and open it with Pinotex Uitra paint-lacquer. This coating will be resistant even to atmospheric conditions. You can also use Senezh aquadecor.

7. After the paint has dried, the surface must be sanded with fine sandpaper No. 80. The result will be very beautiful effect, when the depressions on the wood remain dark, and the protrusions are light, that is, we highlight the volume and structure of the wood.

8. The final stage is the re-opening of the red tree.

Aging wood with fire

You can age a tree with a gas burner.

There are three main ways here:

1. Aging without prior mechanical processing of wood. That is, we simply emphasize the texture of wood by firing it. Then we pass with fine sandpaper and open it with varnish.

2. First, mechanical processing of wood is carried out - we remove soft fibers, and then we carry out firing. This method will give the tree a relief and three-dimensional view which will definitely look great.

3. Intensive firing of wood, which will burn out the soft fibers of the wood and subsequent mechanical processing with a hard brush.

Finally, I want to give some advice:

  • Aged products from old boards will look more beautiful and effective. If you do not have such material, ask your neighbors or acquaintances, often such material can be obtained completely free of charge, and it will be much easier to work with it.
  • Different types of wood will age and paint differently when using the same materials. This must be taken into account when collecting wooden structures.
  • Now in stores you can buy a ready-made aged board without performing the above operations.

The use of natural wood in the design home interior gives the premises a more solid look. Antique imitation is also popular in the manufacture of furniture, but the cost of such work when contacting cabinetmakers is high. You can complete the entire cycle of work yourself, since aging a tree with your own hands is not too difficult. It will only take time, a minimum set of tools and desire.

What is it for?

Any wood treatment to improve decorative properties It also has a positive effect on its safety, since it is associated with the application of several layers of coloring compositions and varnishes on the surface. The service life of properly aged products is much longer than those that have been subjected to minimal impact. Such furniture is less susceptible to decay, mold, damage by insects and other pests.


But the main goal artificial aging- giving wooden elements special external properties which will make them look more solid. But it is important to understand that the entire interior of the room must comply with a single style.


Preparation for work

Different types of wood can be aged in different ways. A number of methods are not suitable for working with certain varieties.

Table 1. Methods of aging and types of rocks that can be subjected to techniques.


Impacts on the surface with the help of special compositions can be divided into techniques:

  • use of a dry brush;
  • patination;
  • glaze;
  • spatter;
  • crackle;
  • method of creating scuffs (Shabby Chic);
  • etching (using compositions such as stains).

Processing with physical impact on wooden planes is also possible:

  • brushing– technique using brushes with metal pile (cord brushes);
  • burning- the use of fire or metal heated to a high temperature;
  • in hot sand.

Other methods are also possible - for example, imitation of natural damage, which is achieved with an awl, sandpaper and other tools.


Advice! All of the above methods can be combined to achieve greater reliability.

How to grow old with your own hands

Most methods of self-aging wood do not require specialized tools and expensive materials. It is important to work carefully and slowly.

Dry brush method

What will be required:

  • synthetic flat brush;
  • sample palette;
  • paints and solvent.

Sequencing.

  1. A small amount of paint should be applied to the brush. Remove excess with a rag.
  2. Test on the palette. It is necessary to ensure that each hair gives a separate trace.
  3. The same must be done on a wooden surface. With gentle movements of the brush, gently apply the paint to the product along the fibers.

This method will help to imitate scuffs and emphasize the relief.


Creating a patina

Lacquered or painted objects partially darken over time - this is due to constant contact with hands and for other reasons. Most often, such a change concerns the corners and relief parts of the product.


To simulate the master use:

  • acrylic coloring compositions;
  • bituminous varnishes;
  • shellac;
  • wax.

The application of bituminous varnishes is accompanied by their immediate removal from most of the surface. The irregularities of the wooden object will still remain dark. After drying, cover the product with a layer of shellac. When using wax polishes, they are rubbed on the wood, and after drying (which will take a long time) they will manifest themselves in the form of reflections.


Master Class. Do-it-yourself patination on the example of a furniture box

We present to you step by step instructions on patination of wood to create the effect of scuffs on it.

Step one. To begin with, the box is carefully polished, for which sandpaper is used. Thanks to this, you will eliminate all the roughness and irregularities. Then, when the processing is completed, you need to remove the dust with a rag.


Step two. All places where scuffs will be in the future are treated with simple wax from a candle. For example, these may be some sections of the flat surface of the box, its side parts. Still, all these areas can be pre-treated with a primer on wood, but - and this is important - an exceptionally thin layer.


Step three. The main color paint is applied to the box (in our example it is white acrylic paint). Apply gently with a brush to all surfaces. Acrylic paint dries quickly. All subsequent work should be carried out only after it has dried.


Step four. The box is re-processed with sandpaper. Due to this, parts of the paint will be removed, and therefore grinding should be carried out only in the right places. With those areas that have been waxed, there will be no difficulty in removing the paint. It is also important to move along the fibers of the wood.



Note! Do not use very coarse sandpaper. Otherwise, you may damage the surface of the wood.

Step five. Now we want the wood to look stained at the corners of the box. This can be done using a special compound called patina (prefer the one that is water-based). A small amount of paint is applied to the palette (or any other suitable surface).


Step six. For applying patina, it is better to use a piece of sponge. The latter is pre-wetted in a patinating composition, after which the paint is applied to the surface with soft, gentle movements.



Step seven. When all the compositions are dry, the box should be varnished (preferably matte, not glossy). Everything, the work can be considered completed. Now it remains to wait for the box to dry, screw the fittings. You can use the furniture drawer!



On a note! If desired, the patina can be applied in two layers - this allows you to get more saturated color. But in this case, you don’t need to overdo it, otherwise the furniture will not look natural.

Video - How to patinate furniture facades

Glaze

The essence of the method is to apply several layers of paint, and the lower (darker) ones should shine through the translucent upper ones. What coloring compositions can be used:

  • watercolor;
  • oil;
  • acrylic.

Reference! Many also use strong tea leaves.


  1. Apply the 1st layer with a flat brush or sponge.
  2. Next, you need to let the product dry. View the result of the work.
  3. If necessary, put another layer - to increase the intensity of the color.
  4. Top with translucent paint - also 1-2 layers.

The result should be a surface painted in different shades that shine through each other.


Glazing is the result of work

The technique consists in covering surfaces with droplets of paint, which will give it an original look. Most often used in conjunction with other aging techniques.

You will need:

  • brush with hard bristles;
  • a container with water;
  • paints.

It also makes sense to prepare some object (for example, a sheet of paper) on which you can practice spraying.

Advice! It is recommended to cover the table and nearby objects with newspapers so as not to stain them during work.


Process description.

  1. Wet the brush with water.
  2. Dip into the paint, gaining a small amount of it.
  3. Try to spray on the surface of the test object, evaluating the result. To apply droplets on a plane, you can bend the bristle of the brush with your fingers or a match. Also process wooden planes.
  4. Lacquer the item.

Advice! To get large splashes, you need to capture more paint with a brush, and to apply small point drops, on the contrary, as little as possible.


Crackle

This method is often used by artists to create craquelure - imitation of aging, looks like a paint layer cracked from time to time - in the form of a web. It can also be used for aging wooden painted or varnished products. One of the most effective methods


There are two ways to get a craquelure surface.

one step

  1. The main layer of varnish or paint is applied.
  2. The part is left until the paintwork is completely dry.
  3. On top of the 1st layer, a thick layer of a special composition - craquelure varnish should be applied.
  4. Dry for 35-40 minutes, if you use a hair dryer, the process will speed up. It is important that the layer looks like it is completely set, but feels slightly damp to the touch.
  5. Dilute acrylic paint water. The rule applies: the more liquid the paint, the larger the "cells" of the craquelure cobweb will be.
  6. Apply the resulting solution with a flat brush. The direction of movement of the pile will coincide with future cracks.

Important! Only one pass should be made in one place. Otherwise, the composition will begin to roll off the plane.

After 24 hours after drying, a finishing coat must be applied. It is better to use shellac or acrylic varnishes. The result should be a surface with a cracked top layer of paint, and the first layer is visible in the cracks.


two step

  1. The main coating of the wooden surface is made - shellac is applied. You can use a clarified composition or a regular one. At least 2-3 layers, each of which dries for 15-30 minutes. It is desirable to take into account the humidity of the air. With increased (more than 45-50%), the drying time increases.
  2. The next layer is applied craquelure varnish. Cracks will appear faster if the wooden product is placed in a warm, dry place - next to a heating radiator or stove.
  3. After the appearance of craquelure, you need to wipe them using a regular cloth or a piece of sponge. As a composition to be rubbed into the cobweb, use the usual oil paint(the one that artists paint), crushed pastel or bituminous varnishes.
  4. Shellac is applied on top.

The method is more time consuming compared to the one-step method, but it looks much more impressive.


  1. It is necessary to prepare materials: rinse the eggshell, dry it.
  2. Prime the wooden surface.
  3. Glue shell particles on top, large fragments can be pressed through to obtain a fine craquelure mesh. To move small particles, use a match or a toothpick. Adhesive used: either PVA or acrylic varnishes.
  4. Drying the product.
  5. You can grout the surface with oil paints.
  6. The last stage is the application of the final layer of acrylic varnish.

The resulting surface will look and feel old - with peeling paint.

Other ways to create artificial craquelure:

  • use of facet varnishes. They are applied to the surface with a brush or spatula. The thicker the layer (minimum 2 mm), the larger the mesh will be. Dries for days. The last layer is acrylic;
  • special craquelure paint- the second way to obtain an aged surface in one step. The composition already has a certain color. Cracks will appear during the drying process;
  • two-component varnishes for creating microcraquelure- colorless compounds that do not change the basic tone of the surface, add a cobweb with small cells.

All patination methods have been repeatedly tested by design and decor experts.

Creation of scuffs

Not very difficult but effective method aging. For work you will need:

  • paints (acrylic);
  • paraffin;
  • sandpaper of various grain sizes.

  1. The product is covered with the main layer of paint. Moreover, it is applied only to the corners and those places that it was decided to age. It is important to achieve saturated shades.
  2. Dry the paint.
  3. Rub the painted surfaces with paraffin.
  4. Apply two more layers of acrylic composition already on the entire product, blocking the first paraffin coating.
  5. Places where the first layer (with paraffin) is present is processed with sandpaper. Graininess can be chosen at your discretion.
  6. Dust must be carefully removed.
  7. If desired, combinations with other techniques are possible: adding splashes, patina.
  8. Finishing coat - 2-3 layers of acrylic composition.

Advice! For rubbing, you can use a regular candle.

Etching

The method of chemical action on wood. Most often, craftsmen prefer to age products made from hardwood. Special formulations can be used as chemicals:

  • inkstone
  • zinc sulfate;
  • potassium chromopic;
  • calcium chloride.

Or what is in every house:

  • diluted potassium permanganate;
  • bluing;
  • vinegar solution.

Small products can be immersed in the solution as a whole, and large products can be treated with a brush or swab. It is important to take a fabric that will not leave particles on the treated surface.


Different chemicals interact with wood fibers in different ways. For example, Epsom salt leaves purple spots on a birch, and iron sulfate leaves olive ones.

The process consists in the primary machining of the part with sandpaper and the application of a chemical solution. After the reaction and drying, the product will receive the appropriate form, after which it will be possible to continue working with it.


brushing

A kind of mechanical action on the structure of wood. Metal brushes or special nozzles for a drill are used. The method is based on the removal of softer upper layers, while the hard ones remain. After such processing, paints and varnishes can be applied or other methods of artificial aging can be applied.


The following breeds are practically not amenable to this technique:

  • maple;
  • cherry;
  • pear.

Surface treatment is carried out along the grain of the wood.


Burning

One of the types of thermal aging of the product. It is best to use a miniature gas burner - it is more convenient for working with both large and small parts.


By acting on the planes with open fire for different times, you can achieve the appropriate shades - from light brown to radical black. Often after this, processing with a metal brush (brushing) is performed.

Advice! Such manipulations should be carried out outdoors, in a garage or a special workshop, observing fire safety measures.


Sand firing

The process looks like this.

  1. Washed dry river sand without impurities is poured into a metal tank.
  2. Heated to a temperature of about 200 degrees.
  3. Put blanks in the sand.
  4. Hold until surfaces darken.

The technique will require some experience to get the best result. It is important to consider that the lower layers of sand are hotter than the upper ones, so the bottom of the workpiece will darken somewhat faster than its top. By placing and changing the arrangement of details in the sand in different ways, you can achieve different effects and smooth transitions from light to dark tones.

Sand firing is also combined with other methods of wood aging.


other methods

Masters use other methods for aging wood. Examples:

  • using a conventional awl, they create an imitation of damage to the structure by bugs (make holes);
  • metal objects (bolts or nuts) are wrapped in a piece of rag; they hit the workpiece planes with the resulting “bag” - imitation of damage;
  • use burning and laser devices for point processing of the product.

Combinations of various techniques are carried out depending on the initial state of the planes of the tree and on what effect you want to achieve.

Working with wooden blanks requires accuracy and care. Sometimes the defects obtained during the work are very difficult to correct.

  1. It is important to use high-quality and proven varnishes and paints. The same applies to pickling chemicals.
  2. A common mistake: they do not allow the already laid layers of paint to dry completely and begin further processing. Curing times are indicated on the paint cans.
  3. Be sure to take into account the air temperature and relative humidity. The drier and warmer, the faster the varnishes or paints will dry.
  4. Surfaces must be properly cleaned and free of dirt before varnishing.

Features of working with shellac

This type of varnish is considered professional and expensive, it is used to protect many products: furniture, decorative ornaments, musical instruments. It is sold both in finished form (you can immediately use it) and in dry form - you will need to dilute the resin yourself.


For beginners, it is better for the first time to buy alcohol varnishes that are already suitable for work, this will allow them to learn how to work with them correctly, without being distracted by cooking methods, although the cost of such mixtures is high. After a while, you can try to make shellac yourself. Proportion of breeding: 900 g of shellac will require 240 ml of denatured alcohol. Application methods: swab or brush.


There are several methods, but the main sequence is as follows.

  1. The first layers (2-3) are applied with a brush. You can use a sprayer.
  2. Grinding to bare wood - you need to align the pores filled with shellac with the main plane.
  3. Using a linen or cotton swab, the varnish is applied along the grain of the wood. It is impossible to stop movement on the plane.
  4. Work should continue until the desired glossy shade appears.

In addition to longitudinal movements, shellac can be rubbed in circles or "eights" - this way you can better achieve continuity. This job requires experience.

Results

To give a wooden product a special look, as if it is already many years old, designers use artificial aging techniques. Some of them can be easily done on your own, and some will require special attention and accuracy. In most cases, expensive materials will not be needed.

Video - How to age wood