Make New Wood Look Old
I see the word "rustic" all over the internet with regards to woodworking and other wood related crafts and this is my attempt at making wood look rustic. I decided I wanted to make new wood look old, partly because it is cheaper than reclaimed lumber and partly because I can control the aging process. I followed this blog exactly and these are my results and thoughts on the process. This blog goes into more detail about the vinegar stain and how it affects specific wood. Here is a cool blog that goes into using different vinegar mixes. So many choices! Apple cider vinegar gives a nice reddish tone when applied after black tea.
Take the time to watch this video and the companion video for some background on iron acetate and how it works on wood. He's a handful but full of knowledge and the bit at the end of the companion video about adding food coloring is a pretty cool effect. I learned that adding tea to the wood added tannins, which increase the effect the iron acetate has on the wood. Softer woods, like the cheap pine I used from Home Depot, are low in tannins and don't react much with the iron acetate. Does red wine work? Maybe for the next experiment. ;)
The Supplies
Steel wool
White vinegar
Tea
Jars - I used old pasta jars but anything that can hold boiling water works
Wood - I used pine scraps but use whatever you want to stain!
The Process
A word of caution, I stumbled across this blog about exploding jar full of steel wool and vinegar saying that this mixture produces iron acetate, which gives you the stain color, heat, due to the oxidation of the metal, and HYDROGEN GAS!! Leave the lid off and be careful, we all remember what happens when you mix hydrogen and heat in a closed container. My jar made a slight hissing noise when I took the lid off after an hour, meaning the gas was already building!
Wash the steel wool with soap and water to remove the rust protection on the steel, we want it to rust! Let that sit for a day or two uncovered, stirring occasionally. Also brew your tea if you will use it, it can sit for a day with the tea bags in it, just don't drink it due to the bacteria that might be growing. I painted the tea on the wood for three coats while the iron acetate brewed, letting it dry for at least an hour each time. I then painted one coat of the iron acetate on half of the wood after the acetate brewed for one day and did the other half after two days.
Coming from a CG background, I was always taught to consider the story behind an object when adding texture. I wanted to make something that resembled something actually reclaimed, I'm used to seeing old fences and barns that look like they are about to fall over. The iron acetate technique is great for adding color, but I wanted to add more character. I experimented with adding nail holes, screw holes and chiseling out chunks of the wood to simulate wear and tear. I even left a nail in the board to synthesize a memory of the carpenter bending a nail and leaving it in the wood. If you want it to look old, then put it through some hardship!
Wash the steel wool with soap and water to remove the rust protection on the steel, we want it to rust! Let that sit for a day or two uncovered, stirring occasionally. Also brew your tea if you will use it, it can sit for a day with the tea bags in it, just don't drink it due to the bacteria that might be growing. I painted the tea on the wood for three coats while the iron acetate brewed, letting it dry for at least an hour each time. I then painted one coat of the iron acetate on half of the wood after the acetate brewed for one day and did the other half after two days.
Coming from a CG background, I was always taught to consider the story behind an object when adding texture. I wanted to make something that resembled something actually reclaimed, I'm used to seeing old fences and barns that look like they are about to fall over. The iron acetate technique is great for adding color, but I wanted to add more character. I experimented with adding nail holes, screw holes and chiseling out chunks of the wood to simulate wear and tear. I even left a nail in the board to synthesize a memory of the carpenter bending a nail and leaving it in the wood. If you want it to look old, then put it through some hardship!
The Results
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| Before my test |
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| After the test. Just tea and a wire brush |
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| Finished product! |
Success! My table suffered a beating :( but it was worth it! The bottom half of the piece was done with a single coat of tea and the top was done with three. The right half got a double coat of iron acetate, while the left got a single coat. At first glance, the single coat of tea had a large impact on the final color but I think that was because I didn't shake up the iron acetate before applying so less iron was transferred to the wood. The second coat of iron acetate did have a big affect though. The rusted nail and screw also turned out well. The added nail holes look authentic, the screw holes also work and have some cool tear out. The chisel holes look cool but unmotivated, maybe that can be used more skillfully next time?
Thoughts
Next time, I would like to try different teas and different vinegar. Apple cider vinegar could have a cool amber look and the chamomile tea isn't too heavy in tannins, so a black tea would have a different effect. I'm interested in whether the color of the tea has a large effect or just the tannin content - the color of the tea didn't stick around much once it dried. The vinegar solution did a great job of darkening the low points around the nail and other holes.
USE A DROP CLOTH! My table can be planed and sanded, but next time I will definitely cover my precious table.
