DIY antique board. Do-it-yourself aging of wood

Using wood in interior design is always a win-win option. This is the most beautiful natural, aesthetically perfect, breathable material. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on human energy and has bactericidal properties. Furniture, floors, doors, ceiling beams, and various decorative elements made from... look great in any room. natural wood, which can be processed better than other materials.

Why artificially age wood?

It is difficult to get a definite answer to this question, but there are three main answer options:

Personal preferences.
The processed material allows you to create one of fashion styles: vintage, shabby chic, retro, Provence, country style.
If you don’t have enough money to buy antique furniture, you can age the wood yourself. Subsequently, nothing will prevent you from passing off a table or chair made of such material as a product with history.

How to age wood. Master Class. Brushing

There are several ways to achieve the desired result. The most interesting and most used of them is the texturing or brushing method. Its name comes from English word brush, which translated means “brush”. The essence of this method is that soft fibers are removed from the top layer of solid wood. As a result of processing, the surface becomes embossed. In progress natural aging tree, the same changes occur to it, but this takes a lot of time. Brushing is considered the closest to reality method of simulating antiquity. It is used to give wood a distinct textured texture.

What types of wood are suitable for brushing?

Convert wooden surface antique, using the brushing method, is quite easy and at home. But not all wood can be processed in this way. In order to age wood, you need to use species with a clearly defined texture: pine, oak, larch, ash, walnut. And maple, beech, cherry, pear, teak and some exotic trees are categorically not amenable to mechanical aging. It is useless to use such a mechanical method for products made from MDF. But how to make aged wood from these materials if others are not available? For this case, there is a chemical method. If it is necessary to age coniferous wood, then it would be more rational to use the mechanical method.

Mechanical restoration

Brushing is pretty labor-intensive process. The main tool for this is a stiff metal brush. Since it is not possible to quickly age wood in this way, the process can be accelerated. To do this, you will need a drill or grinder equipped with a special wire brush.

Processing wood with power tools is a rather unsafe process, associated with characteristic vibration and the risk of tearing off wood chips and metal rods. Therefore, you need to know how to artificially age wood without getting damaged. It is recommended to carry out work in a protective suit. To prevent small debris and dust from getting into your eyes, you must wear special camouflage goggles or cover your face with a shield, and use a respirator to protect your respiratory tract.

Chemical treatment

How to age wood with your own hands without using special tools? To do this you will need stiff sandpaper. It requires cleaning the surface, and then applying a solution of ammonia (ammonia), which causes a noticeable darkening of the wood. As a result, the structure of the wood will be able to appear especially clearly, and the noble darkening will give the finished product an antique look.

Depending on the desired degree of aging, such treatment can be light, superficial, using a coarse polymer brush, or deep, when growth rings become visible. At the same time, it is very important not to overdo it, since you may not end up with the desired textured noble product, but damaged, loose wood.

After the initial rough cleaning, regardless of the processing method, the workpiece must be brought to the desired aesthetic appearance. To do this, burrs are removed from the surface, then the product is polished with a polymer abrasive brush. After this, the wood must be additionally carefully lightened using sandpaper and give it the final shine.

Patination

To obtain the desired antique effect, mechanical processing alone is not enough. Next, you can simply coat the product with varnish. But it is also recommended to perform the so-called patination. This will allow you to better emphasize the relief surface of the product. Patina is a characteristic luxurious gloss that wood acquires over the years. Recreating it at home is done in several stages and requires a lot of effort.

Patination is the process of applying to the surface being treated special compounds and stain. They are selected depending on the desired color and shade of the finished product. The compounds are applied in such a way that they get into the pores of the wood that open during mechanical processing. It is important to achieve a patina effect in which the wood's deep pores appear slightly darker and have more contrast than lighter surfaces. At independent execution For this type of treatment, it is recommended to use paint of the desired color. To do this, the surface is first painted completely, and then removed with a sponge or cloth. upper layer without waiting for it to dry. As a result, the tree appears more ancient and noble.

But patination is not necessary at all. Products painted with antique enamel also look great. Using such materials you can create a real masterpiece, which can be distinguished from real antiques only by a true connoisseur of antiquities. One layer of enamel should be applied to the surface. Then the wood needs to be dried and another layer applied. When re-painting, the enamel must be chosen more liquid and of a different color. When the wood is completely dry, you need to wipe the surface with sandpaper so that the bottom layer shows through and creates abrasions.

Toning. Varnishing

After patination, more toning should be done. For this process, compositions based on natural oils and resins. On last stage processing, the wood is covered with 2-3 layers of varnish. Then rub it with a soft cloth to add extra shine. Varnishing consolidates all previous stages and gives the product a finished look. Although the process is labor-intensive, anyone can master it. The main thing is to follow technology. Then it will be clear how to age wood with your own hands.

Brushing secrets

How to age wood to get the best effect? To do this you need to know some subtleties.

The main surface is painted over the following colors: white, red, black, blue, yellow, purple, brown, orange. For pores, use blue, red, yellow and white colors.
If you look at a board tinted with paint at an angle, you will notice uneven application.
Manual brushing allows you to do the work more artistically, although the process will be very lengthy, unlike the automatic method.
The more defects (knots, curls, eyes) the wood has, the better the product made from it will look.

Where can treated wood be used?

Not in every home you can find treated material, since simply aging wood is not enough. It is very important to use it wisely in the interior. Thanks to the brushing method, you can create exclusive, almost antique products. For example, pieces of furniture: exquisite bookshelves, chests of drawers, cabinets, kitchen sets, country furniture, picture frames or mirrors, candlesticks and other decor.

This method is perfect for processing parquet and floorboards, as well as for making doors, partitions, and various wooden elements. Antiqued wood is often used to decorate the walls of a home bath or sauna, non-standard rooms or a whole house, retro cafes, bars, billiard rooms.

Today it is no secret to anyone how to age wood. There are many other methods besides brushing. They differ in the complexity of the technology and the amount of time spent. But regardless of the choice, aged wood helps to create a unique spiritual atmosphere in any room, connect eternal values and the spirit of modern times, and fill the house with the atmosphere of noble antiquity.

How to make aged wood at home and give it a vintage look with your own hands? This article is dedicated to just such tricks! Artificially aged items look very stylish and harmonious!

The 7 methods for aging wood with paint that we will look at here are interesting for their simplicity and excellent end result. They also do not require the purchase of any expensive special materials or tools.

We will analyze in detail the following 7 painting methods:

This is a universal technique that helps to give wood or wooden furniture vintage look. It can be used on both untreated wood and already painted wood and furniture. Suitable for painting in one or several layers.

For example, this is the result obtained when painting white using this method ( detailed guide read the article "")

Let's take a closer look at how to paint wood using this method, making three layers (brown, white and yellow).

Necessary materials:

paint (brown, white and yellow)
brush, candle, rag.

Step-by-step instruction:

Step 1: First coat of paint

Decide on the color of paint that you will use as a basis. This will be the first, bottom layer of paint, which we will apply directly to the wood. IN in this case We use dark brown color.
Paint the wood with slightly chaotic strokes, without painting the surface completely and evenly.
Leave until completely dry.

Step 2: Use a candle

Take a candle and rub it on the surface of the wood in several randomly chosen places(at the same time, press the candle quite hard so that a clear trace of wax or paraffin remains on the wood).

Step 3: Second Coat of Paint Choose a color for the next layer and apply paint (we're using white here). At this stage, the paint can be applied evenly over the entire surface, and not in strokes, as with the first layer. Leave until completely dry.
Step 4: After this, take a rag and wipe the surface, using some pressure. In those places where wax was applied, the paint will come off the surface. If two layers are enough for you, then you can stop there, but if not, move on.
Step 5: Third Layer of Paint Repeat steps 2 and 3, but the last one using a different color of paint (here it will be yellow). After the paint has dried, you can apply a protective varnish. The latter is not necessary due to the fact that we deliberately gave it an antique look, so if the paint starts to lag a little over time, it will not be noticeable.

2. Aging using wet paper

This method of giving wood an aged texture is similar to the previous one with candles, only now instead of wax there will be wet paper(if suddenly there is no candle at home, then everyone certainly has paper).

Necessary materials:

dye,
brush, paper,
bowl of water.

Step-by-step instruction:

Step 1: Attach wet paper. No base paint was applied here so that the natural color of the wood could be seen. Therefore, we immediately take a sheet of paper and tear it into uneven pieces. different shapes and size. After this, dip each piece into a bowl of water and place it on the wood you are going to paint.
Step 2: Apply paint. Having laid out all the pieces of paper, immediately start painting in the chosen color, that is, you do not need to wait until the paper dries.
Step 3: Paint Removal Then carefully lift each piece of paper from the surface. You can do this while the paint is still a little damp, or after it has completely dried.

You can make several layers, for example, as in the previous method. To do this, follow the step-by-step instructions described there, replacing the wax with damp paper.

3. Texture with a dry brush “Loft”

This technique is great for creating an old and scratched look. The key to success here is simply to use a very dry brush. For example, old brushes with stiff bristles work well.

Necessary materials:

brush with stiff bristles,
water based paint.

Instructions:

This is what the process looks like:

Dip the brush into the paint of your choice and leave as little paint on it as possible.
Apply paint in quick strokes different directions. Be careful not to get carried away and cover the entire surface.

This technique is also suitable for painting with a loft metal effect, for example, for creating such artificial zinc letters.

You can also combine this method with using sandpaper to remove some of the paint after each coat.

4. Painting with scrapers in Provence style

The result will be approximately the same as using sandpaper. The difference is that sandpaper not only removes some of the paint, but also evens out the surface of the wood if there were uneven spots in that area (which is not suitable if you want to preserve the structure of the wood, leaving it as natural as possible). The second difference is that sandpaper is used only after the paint has dried.

Necessary materials: brush, paint, scraper (or any unnecessary plastic card).

Instructions:

First paint the wood.
After that, once the paint dries a little(not completely dry, literally a few minutes, when the coating has already formed, but is still sticky to the touch), take a scraper or old plastic card and scrape off some of the paint in some places.

ADVICE: If you paint furniture, scrape the paint off at the corners and edges, as this is where it most often comes off during use. Thus, the antique effect will look more natural.

5. Rinse method

This method for creating the effect of old wood is suitable for elegant furniture in a rustic or Provence style. It is best used on damp wood.

Necessary materials:

paint, brush,
water, rag.

Instructions:

Apply a coat of paint and let it dry for a few minutes (same as the previous method, so it's still tacky and not completely dry).
After that quickly rinse the wood with water, carefully wiping the surface with a cloth. The goal is to wash away some of the paint on the surface. Leave to dry. That's all!

For example, a table painted gently green, after applying this method it looks just great.

6. Method of painting with wooden blocks

This is a simple method that allows you to age wood or furniture using wooden block.

Necessary materials:

paint, brush,
wooden block.

Instructions:

Dip the end of a piece of wood into the paint and run it along the surface to be painted.
Apply as many colors and layers as you like.

Here, for example, they made one layer of pale blue paint.

7. Paint filling method

This is a one-step method suitable for any type of wood with a lot of texture on the surface.

Necessary materials: paint, scraper (or plastic card).

Instructions: You just need to pour a little paint onto the surface of the wood and spread it with a scraper. Wait for it to dry and you're done!

Now that we've looked at all 7 methods of painting wood with an antique effect, I'd like to highlight a few basic tips that you can apply to all methods:

If the surface you are going to paint was treated with sealant, wax or varnish would be better polish it a little so that the new paint adheres better.
Don't be afraid to experiment; you can mix and match these techniques to create your own personal design style.
At first practice on some piece of wood or on less visible areas of furniture (for example, on the inside of a cabinet door to be painted) before working on more visible parts.

And remember that the main thing here is your desire! Good luck!

The need to achieve the effect of old wood can be caused by several reasons. For example, the desire to decorate (furnish, decorate) the room in an original style, the personal preferences of the owners, lack of funds to purchase antiques, or some other considerations. It is quite possible to age a tree with your own hands, if you understand existing technologies. This article will reveal several secrets of how to properly process wood to give it the look that is necessary for a specific interior.

There are several methods for artificial aging of lumber, so the author will not separately stipulate which tools and preparations may be needed when implementing one or the other. After familiarizing yourself with each of them, the reader himself will understand, in accordance with his capabilities, what will need to be prepared before starting work.

Basic methods of aging wood with your own hands

Mechanical

This technique is called texturing, although it is better known as brushing (from the English brush). It is the tool with which wood is successfully stylized as antique. The essence of this method is that the “pulp” is removed. The result is a relief surface of the sample. Almost the same thing happens to wood over time - during its drying, under the influence of temperature, ultraviolet radiation, humidity and a number of other factors.

For mechanical processing of wood with your own hands, brushing is one of the simplest options. But not every species is suitable for this method of simulating old wood. The method is called texturing because the main task is to achieve a pronounced relief of the material.

What is brushed:

larch, pine (and almost all other conifers);
nut;
ash.

Breeds that are not amenable to mechanical aging:

maple;
fruit trees (for example, cherry) and a number of others (expensive, exotic), less used in the decoration of apartments and houses.

Technology

For mechanical method aging wood will be needed. The work is not difficult, all you need is free time and patience. But this technique is suitable in cases where we are talking about a small volume of lumber.

If you need to age wood over a large area, then it is more advisable to use an electric drill or an angle grinder (“grinder”) with. Since speed already plays a role here, you should work in protective equipment and be extremely careful. The slightest awkward movement and the tree can be hopelessly damaged. It is especially important if the finished product is subjected to processing - a table, stool, cabinet, and so on.

Chemical aging of wood

Pre-treatment is carried out with sandpaper with coarse abrasive.

Option 1

Application of ammonia solution over the entire area. Ready-made ammonia, which is inexpensive, is also quite suitable. It causes darkening of the lumber, giving it nobility and originality. As a result, the wood takes on an antique look.

Feature – this aging technology is suitable only for deciduous species. Their structure contains substances called tannins. They are the ones that cause the wood to darken.

Option 2

Using a polymer brush, the surface is “lightly” cleaned. The goal is to achieve a clearer appearance of the growth rings. After finishing, the wood is covered with stain and varnish of the appropriate shade.

Option 3

The wood is treated with stain. But not just any one, but definitely water-based. After achieving required color wood, the composition is partially washed off (preferably with a damp soft sponge). This is done not over the entire surface, but in its middle part. As a result, the edges remain darker, which is typical of old wood.

Option 4

Patching. This type of chemical aging is more difficult to implement, but the wood also looks much more luxurious, imitating antiques as much as possible. The essence of the technique is to shade the pores opened during mechanical processing against the background of the rest of the surface.

Technology

After cleaning the workpiece (a specific segment of the base), selected materials are applied to it. general interior compositions. The simplest of them is, although there are also special preparations used for patting wood. As a result, they fill the pores, which differ from the rest of the structure in a darker shade and contrast. This work is carried out in several stages and takes a lot of time, since each layer is applied after the previous one has completely dried.

When aging wood with your own hands, the technology can be simplified. To do this, the material is coated with color-matched paint. Without waiting for it to “set”, you need to remove its top layer. The brush is useless here - it is enough to carry out surface treatment of the wood with a “doll” made of soft fabric or a sponge.

Option 5

Coloring. The purpose of this technique is to create “bald spots” on the surface of the wood, simulating abrasions, which is one of the evidence of the considerable age of the lumber.

Technology

It is necessary to select two enamels that differ in color and consistency. After the wood is initially painted, it is dried. Next, a second layer is applied, but for this it takes more liquid paint. When this layer gets stronger, the lumber in some areas is processed with fine-grain sandpaper. The result is a shabby surface due to the fact that darker paint begins to appear in these places.

You can achieve a better effect with this artificial aging technique. For example, mark “false cracks”, which will further emphasize the age of the tree. Here you will already need the so-called craquelure varnish. It should be applied to the base before the initial painting of the surface.

Any DIY work requires at least minimal experience. Therefore, it is often impossible to achieve the desired result. What should I do?

Sand the aged wood.
If its surface has bends or depressions, then these places can additionally be coated with stain. And in 2 layers. For the first - a “water” composition, for the second - on any other basis (gasoline, naphtha, alcohol). After drying, the wood is treated with a wax-containing preparation and polished.

Thermal aging

In essence, this is complex wood processing.

Stages of work

First– firing over the entire surface or in a separate area. This is necessary to remove all the “pulp” and make the structure, growth rings, knots, and cracks clearer.

Second – mechanical restoration. Use a metal brush to remove carbon deposits. In addition, it allows you to achieve the most pronounced relief of the tree.

Third(optional) – impregnation of wood with stain. Depending on the breed, this often allows for greater texturing effects. A single layer coating is sufficient.

Fourth– applying varnish. If aged wood looks great, then it is better to use colorless varnish. Its task is to protect the material from negative impacts atmosphere. In some cases, varnish produces additional tinting of wood, but in color.

The author used different sources in practice open fire and during the training I came to the conclusion that the best option- gas-burner. If you work with a blowtorch, it is difficult to achieve uniformity of the flame. As a result, when aging, scorch marks appear on the wood, which are quite difficult to level out, and sometimes impossible.
Before you start surface treatment, you need to get your hands on it. Therefore, it is advisable to first gain at least minimal experience by training on junk lumber. There will always be some wood waste on the farm.

Restoring the appearance of wood

We have to face this need everywhere. If a piece of furniture has served for some time, and defects have appeared in a separate area or throughout the entire area, or the original decor has been lost, then this can be fixed relatively easily, with your own hands. In principle, this technology is one of the varieties of wood aging.

Operating procedure:

Removing applied layers (stripping wood to the base). Skin is used. The grain size is selected based on the complexity of processing.
The bare wood is covered (in 2 layers) acrylic paint(black).
Any furniture has a unique configuration. Consequently, all protruding places (corners, bevels, segments around handles, etc.) wear out over time. After identifying these areas, they are rubbed with paraffin. It is not difficult to find a candle in the house.
Painting wood in the required color.
After the composition dries, the paraffin is washed off (cleaned off), and dark paint will appear on the areas treated with it.
Finish.

The author reminds you that the article outlines only the easiest methods for artificially aging wood to implement with your own hands. There are quite a lot of them, as well as the tools and preparations used. But if the meaning of all technological operations is clear, then it is not difficult to develop your own methodology. The specifics of the work and local conditions will themselves tell you what and how it is most expedient to do.

Aging wood is becoming increasingly popular among antique furniture lovers. Russian manufacturers have noticed this trend. Many large factories in the Russian Federation have special lines that produce furniture using brushing or artificial aging techniques. Not everyone can afford such furniture, but even fragile female hands can turn wooden boards into an ancient masterpiece at home. Today we will get acquainted with 4 methods of artificial aging of wood and learn how to use them in everyday life.

Brushing - analysis of the basics of popular techniques

Take wooden board, put it in front of you. What do you see? Wood pattern. Each breed has its own unique pattern, which consists of a combination of light and dark lines. They are created over the years as the tree grows. In winter, dark fibers with a dense structure grow, and in summer, soft, light colors grow. Under the influence of moisture, sun, wind and weather conditions soft layer with light fibers gradually wears off, the board takes on an antique look. To achieve the natural effect of aging wood, you will have to wait for decades. Fortunately, there is a simple and quick brushing procedure. As a result of thermal, chemical and mechanical effects, the wood acquires a convex texture with worn edges and chips, characteristic of a “living tree” with a centuries-old history.

The brushing technique comes from the English word “brush”, which means brush. A wire brush is actually used for aging. However, this is not the only tool that allows you to achieve the effect of antique wood.

After brushing with abrasive materials, the wood is coated with paint or stain, and varnished. Paints and varnishes highlight the new texture and extend the life of the wood. Standard paints can be combined with shades of bronze, gold, and silver. To achieve maximum effect, it is important to choose the right wood. Suitable wood species for brushing include larch, merbau, wenge, alder, ash, oak, metoba, and kempas. Spruce and pine look especially good in this technique. But beech, maple, teak, juniper, birch, alder, pear, and cherry are poor examples for brushing. After processing, the pattern should be expressive and not merge, which cannot be achieved with the above-mentioned breeds. So pay attention to the peculiarity of the pattern. The more expressive it is, the more interesting the result will be. The presence of chips, hollows and knots on the surface will additional benefit. Depending on the chosen brushing method, the work takes from several hours to days.

What to age in the interior - let’s look into the issue in more detail

Aged wood in the interior is the main attribute of country and Provence style. It creates a rustic, country atmosphere in the house, close to nature. To emphasize this style, the brushing technique can be applied to the following interior elements:

"pot-bellied" or regular chest of drawers;
window sills and doors made of natural wood;
solid wood for flooring and wall coverings;
floor beams;
garden benches;
shelves, tables, chairs;
log houses for wells;
wooden fences.

Natural wood with an aged effect goes well with other natural materials (stone, leather, metal). Brushing is often used by craftsmen who create products self made. Here are some more ideas from this series: designer lamp, notebook with rough leather and wood trim, forged furniture for garden plot

Method No. 1 – wire brush and translucent glaze

The simplest option for aging wood is to use a stiff metal brush with a handle. After intensive movements on the surface of the wood, the texture of the material appears on it, which is then emphasized finishing. Before aging the wood, we sand the surface with 150-grit sandpaper. Then we take a wire brush and run it along the grain line until characteristic stripes and bulges appear. It should be noted manual process Brushing takes a long time, so be patient. Vigorous movements have borne fruit, soft fibers have been removed and texture has emerged on the surface. We remove the resulting wood shavings with a soft brush, not with your hand, otherwise you may drive a splinter.

The tree is transformed before our eyes. To emphasize its relief, cover the surface with 2 layers of translucent glaze. This material already looks attractive. After a couple of minutes, remove the excess layer of glaze with a sponge and open the wood with varnish. If you feel like something is missing, you can do it in Provence style. Use white glaze, applying it after the first coat of translucent glaze. Remove fresh glaze with a sponge after 3 – 5 minutes after application in a chaotic manner. The final stage is coating with varnish or transparent glaze.

A simplified option to the minimum is to use a metal brush and white glaze. We go over the surface with a brush, cover it with white glaze and again, after drying, brush off the thick areas with the finish. Thanks to this simple method of aging wood, the result is a whitewashed board with a slight long-term patina.

Method No. 2 - multi-layer painting

To age wood to look like real antiques, you need to work hard. One way to do this is through multi-layer painting. We’ll find out what we need for this a little later, but for now let’s work a little on the wood by hand. Take an awl, a hammer, a file, screws, rods and leave a mark from each tool. Small chips, cracks, scratches and abrasions will give it a natural antique look. The main thing is not to overdo it.

Now let's move on to the paints, you will need:

primer for Pinotex wood;
tinting paint;
white glaze;
white spirit for dilution.

For the first layer, take Pinotex wood primer and spread it over the entire surface. Pinotex primer is thicker than glaze. It is used in cases where it is necessary to create a thick base layer. After the first layer has completely dried, apply tinting paint (antiseptic). We wait until everything is dry and move on to the next step. We take fine and coarse sandpaper and a metal brush. We work with all the tools one by one, creating a natural patina of time. Next, take the white glaze, dip your brush into it, remove the excess and spread it over the wood. There is no need to apply the glaze tightly and evenly. The bottom dark layer should be visible through it. Again, take a metal brush and go over the dried surface, creating more visible gaps. This aging of wood looks contrasting. To bring it closer to natural, the next layer needs to be made more muted. This can be achieved by diluting the white glaze with white spirit in equal parts. Apply the diluted mixture to the surface and wait for it to dry completely.

Method No. 3 – electric drill with an attachment and paint-varnish

The mechanical method with a hand brush is reliable, but time-consuming. To quickly age wood with your own hands, use an electric drill or grinder with an attachment made of hard nylon bristles. We begin the work by preparing the wood. Take hand plane and make notches along the edges of the material. We do not recommend using the electric version of the tool; the result will look unnatural. Before proceeding to the next step, put on goggles and a respirator to protect the mucous membrane of the eyes and nasopharynx from wood shavings. Thick gloves won't hurt either. Take a drill or grinder, put on a stiff brush attachment and practice small area tree. Move strictly in the direction of the grain, do not press the nozzle too tightly to the surface. If you are sure you are ready, move on to the main part. With light movements we move along the wood, removing the soft fibers.

To speed up the process and enhance artificial aging, before starting work with a drill or grinder, you can scorch the wood with a gas torch. It is important not to hold the torch in one place for too long to prevent the resin from burning.

If you do not process the wood with fire, then after using power tools, wet the board with a brush and let it dry for 2-3 minutes. Next, sand the surface with fine-grained sandpaper and collect wood dust. It is better to do this with a vacuum cleaner to completely prevent drifts from getting under the skin, or carefully walk over the surface with a soft bristle brush. Before finishing, you can make holes 1–2 mm deep in the board with a blunt nail.

The last stage is coating paint and varnish materials. Use paint and varnish at your discretion. The advice is to make artificially aged wood look as realistic as possible, paint the recesses in light shades, and the convex parts in darker shades. If you decide to paint the board in one light shade Once dry, sand the surface to bring out the dark details. After finishing the work, we fix the finish with varnish. To enhance the result, you can use craquelure varnish instead of regular varnish. After drying, it cracks and the bottom layer of paint is visible in the voids.

Method number 4 - exposure to fire and a hard brush

Aging wood using a gas torch or blowtorch is widely used among craftsmen who want to get a deep effect. Besides, this quick option, which, depending on the use of additional tools, has its own characteristics.

If you simply want to highlight the grain of the wood, do not pre-treat the surface. Burn the board with a gas torch selected places or completely, and then sand with fine-grit sandpaper. But pre-treatment will help make the surface more convex and embossed. Remove soft fibers by hand using a wire brush or with a drill attachment. Carry out firing. After processing, such wood looks noble and more advantageous than the previous version due to a deeper effect on the material. Also, a special effect is obtained by completely burning the material with a gas burner and subsequent processing with a hard hand brush.

When working with fire, remember: bring it close gas burner or blowtorch not worth it to the tree. Do not hold the device in one place for too long, work quickly to avoid fire, and be sure to follow safety precautions. Before starting work, put on thick gloves, overalls, goggles and a respirator. After cleaning the surface, coat it with varnish.

If you want to achieve attractiveness and nobility from the wooden elements of your interior, it’s enough to simply age them. Moreover, it is easy to do this at home by choosing a successful method. In this article we will talk about popular methods of artificial aging of things and their techniques.

Strange as it may sound, wood that smells of antiquity looks much more beautiful in the interior.

From such material you can make original lamp, stand, chest of drawers, table, cabinet, window sill, doors, floors or garden bench. Any item will radiate comfort and warmth. Besides, today everything old is in fashion.

Did you know? There are more than a dozen on the globe tree species, which in their hardness are equal to iron. They are practically impossible to process and sink in water. They are even used in mechanical engineering to make structural elements and nails. These are temir-agach, parrotia, yew, azobe, Schmidt birch, ulin, jatoba, sukupira.

If you wait until the natural process of wood wear occurs, it will take a lot of time. It takes dozens of years for the natural pattern on the material to acquire a specific interweaving of dark and light tones under the influence of the sun and wind.

After all, in the cold season, dense fibers grow, which are the frame. And in the summer a loose and lightweight fabric. It is this that wears off over time, which gives the boards their antiquity.

This effect is successfully used by current designers, thus turning even the cheapest wooden objects into attributes of luxury and style. Without it, you cannot create country, Provence, retro, shabby chic, vintage styles.

In addition, purchased antique furniture will last much less than new, but artificially dilapidated.

Provence, shabby chic and vintage in design

Many popular styles modern design characterized by the use of worn and shabby objects and details in the interior, pastel tones and romantic decorative elements.

Did you know? Every year, for their needs, people cut down about 15 billion trees of the entire green fund of the planet, while replenishing it with only 5 billion new seedlings.

This style was first discussed in the 19th century by the French living in the province of the same name. Their traditions, intertwined with everyday peasant chores and southern nature, became the basis for the development of a new direction in design.

Provencal houses were distinguished by their elegance and simultaneous simplicity, with a reverent attitude towards the things of their ancestors. It was these family heirlooms that became the personification of the spirit of southern France.
This style is characterized by:

predominance white and all shades of beige;
fragments artificially faded in the sun;
multi-colored palette in decor, accessories (flower patterns, stripes, pastoral and checkered patterns are often found);
many elements made of wood in decoration;
artificially worn ceramic tiles (chips, untreated stone, brick, ethnic);
porcelain dishes, forged mirror frames, textile napkins and tablecloths;
lighting items with elements of forging, cotton and linen;
lathed panoramic windows;
rustic furniture of classic shapes with elements of wood, forging and wickerwork.

Did you know? The most tall tree In the world, the sequoia from the State of California is considered. Its trunk has grown to a height of 115 meters, and its diameter reaches 8 m.

It represents a completely new direction in interior design. It originated in Great Britain about 30 years ago.

Its basis is the characteristic British restraint, conservatism, frugality and passion for everything that is old but of good quality.
The shabby chic style is manifested in the following characteristics:

lack of white tones;
the prevalence of pale shades: blue, pink, lavender, yellow and milky;
bright contrasting colors;
usage ceramic tiles under a dilapidated painted tree, wild stone or plaster, as well as with a small floral pattern;
on the white plastered ceiling there is classical stucco molding in the tone of gold leaf, as well as bleached fragments of the ceiling;
wood and metal textures that imitate aging;
The interior items used are mainly restored antiques, textiles, artificially aged photo frames, antique candelabra, fresh flowers, porcelain dolls and figurines of angels;
the lighting contains crystal, forging, fabric lampshades and ancient pendants;
restored furniture made of expensive wood, painted forged metal parts.

Did you know? In the United States of America, all crafts made before 1830 are classified as antiques, in Canada - before 1847, and in the UK - before 1917.

It was invented by the French, laying the fundamental foundations from the uniqueness and emphasized originality of ancient worn-out interior items.

Initially, this was the name for wine aged for many years, but over time a whole design style was formed.

Its main feature is the use of antique items, which must accurately correspond to the fashion trends of their era.
Vintage interiors are characterized by:

prevailing white, beige and milky shades, as well as contrasting shades - burgundy, green, graphite, purple;
drawings with flowers and vegetation;
artificially made flaws;
flooring made of wood, marble or ceramics, but always with a worn effect;
not overloaded in decor (only valuable antique objects, photographs, mirrors, paintings, candelabra are used in doses);
stucco molding in a classic style;
use of natural materials, forged elements, crystal, linen, wool;
the spirit of restraint and elegance present in the interior design;
antique furniture made of wood and wrought metal.

Step-by-step instructions for aging wood

Modern craftsmen have long mastered many methods of artificially weathering wood. Each of them has its own advantages and differences. Let's find out which ones exactly.

The technique of mechanical stylization of antiquity is carried out in several ways by treating wood with a stiff brush or applying two layers of paint.
Processing wood with a stiff brush

The first option is called brushing, and the second is patination.

The essence of the method is to extract soft wood fibers, resulting in a clearly defined relief on the surface of the board. The same thing happens in nature after tens of years.

Video: how to age wood - brushing Experts consider brushing to be the most simple method, but are encouraged to take a responsible approach to the choice of wood. For this, it is better to use conifers with a clear pattern.

maple;
fruit trees (cherry, pear, apple);

Important! When working with lumber, do not forget to protect your face and eyes from splinters and dust with a mask or goggles. A respirator wouldn't hurt either..

When the choice of material is made, you can begin to work.

Experienced craftsmen advise initially practicing on some unnecessary pruning in order to “fill up” your hand:

Take a gas burner and pre-treat the material with it. Do not lose your vigilance: burn the material without holding the device for a long time. Do not allow the resin to ignite.
If thermal procedures are not provided, before work, be sure to moisten the board with a damp brush and let it dry for about 3 minutes.
Place a metal brush with a special attachment on a grinder or electric drill and move it in the direction of the fibers from one end of the board to the other, thus removing the soft fibers. It is important to do this in one touch, and not in jerks.
Use a sheet of fine sandpaper to thoroughly polish the surface.
Remove any remaining dust using a vacuum cleaner or a soft-bristled wooden brush. All movements should be directed along the fibers, and not across.
If you wish, you can improve your masterpiece by imitating bark beetle tracks. This is done using a thin drill. Angular holes should be chaotic but compact.
To create a complete look, cover the surface with wax with coloring elements or paint or varnish. Some designers advise to approach this stage of work creatively, combining light and dark tones. In this case, they should be distributed accordingly on the depressions and convexities.
If the paint is monochromatic, run sandpaper over the relief to make it abraded.
Finally, coat the board with varnish. The mesh of cracks that is obtained after coating with special craquelure paints and varnishes looks very impressive.

Burner-aged wood

Important! When purchasing lumber, take into account their classification. To create a worn-out effect, class C is more suitable, which is characterized by an unlimited number of knots (including fallen ones), cracks and depressions. If the spirit of excessive antiquity is not to your liking, you can give preference to AB class boards. They have much fewer defects.

Once upon a time, patina was the name given to a thin oxide coating on copper products. Today it is a popular technique in processing both metal and wood products.

The method is labor intensive, although it is carried out using special reagents. Its implementation requires extreme accuracy, perseverance and attentiveness.

If you have no experience with such techniques, it is advisable to practice on scrap wood. Designers love to use patination when decorating homes in country and classic styles.
The most simple option Experts believe that such deterioration of wood is caused by rubbing wax into the relief convexities of the surface, which creates the effect of abrasion. We are let's go the way applying patina.

So let's get to work:

Use sandpaper to thoroughly polish the surface of the board, removing as much old paint as possible.
Use a soft brush or vacuum cleaner to remove any remaining dust.
To enhance the adhesive properties of the wood, prime it (it is important to choose a primer for antique restoration) and dry it.
After a day, you can begin applying the patina. To do this, it is better to get acrylic paint. You must act with the utmost caution. After painting, the surface must dry within 24 hours.
Apply the next layer of bronze or metallic paint in small strokes in all directions. It is important not to overdo it with the amount of patina. Immediately, without allowing the applied layer to dry, rub off any excess with a piece of foam rubber.
When the paint begins to dry, use a dry rag to rub any bulges, which will provide an antique effect.
Cover the entire surface with varnish. This will give her sophistication and protect her from mechanical damage and excessive dampness.

Video: patting furniture

Important! Patination is not used on parts with which people often come into contact. The paint wears off very quickly, which gives the effect of untidiness instead of an antique spirit..

The aging effect is achieved through complex processing of lumber. This technique is carried out in several stages:

This method looks original only on hardwoods, since their wood contains tannins. When in contact with chemicals, they darken, resulting in a worn-out effect.

Important! If signs of fungus appear on the wood, a special chlorine-based bleach will help get rid of the problem. Please note that it penetrates 3 cm deep into the material.

The technology is simple and available different variations, with the help of which you can achieve a greater or lesser degree of aging.

Be sure to sand the surface with a piece of coarse sandpaper before work. Then choose a method to suit your taste:

Treat the board generously ammonia. By reacting with the material, the substance will provoke the appearance of noble darkening. If we are talking about aging a certain area on the wall, you can unevenly distribute the reagent, which will enhance the effect.
Use a polymer brush to brush the board so that the growth rings clearly appear. Then cover the lumber with stain and varnish.
Paint the sanded surface with enamel paint and dry it. Apply a second paint of a thinner consistency to the dried layer. Let it dry and sand individual areas of the wood with fine sandpaper.
Coat the wood with a water-based stain. After this, partially wash off the coating in the middle zone, leaving the edges dark.

Even at home, you can make fragments of decoration and decor look antique, although in fact they will be completely new. In this process, it is important to show maximum imagination and diligence, and then your wooden objects will look no worse than those put up for sale in antique salons.