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How do you make new wood look old?
Claire
Dec. 11, 2017Updated: July 30, 2020
I want an aged looking wood but don't want dirty old barn boards, is there any method for speeding up the aging process?
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A very simple way to give wood an aged look is to apply an oxidizing solution. Here is an easy recipe that requires only two ingredients - vinegar and the finest steel wool you can get "00000", and here's how to do it:
1) First, wash the steel wool (some manufacturers apply an oil to prevent it from rusting), then separate it as best as possible and put it in a clean glass jar with the vinegar (different types of vinegar will provide different shades).
2) Cover it and let it sit for at least 2 days. At that point the steel wool should be completely dissolved.
3) Apply the solution to the wood with a brush and let it dry.
4) Once the wood is dry, you can sand it lightly to blend the colour to a uniform look.
This will have different levels of appearance with different species of wood, if you try it with a certain species and it seems to have little or no effect, one more thing you could try would be to stain it with some strong black tea first. If anyone else has other recipes please share them in the comments.
Another great way to change the look of new wood is to char the surface, read more here –
How to make Shou Sugi Ban carbonized wood DIY video
When talking of exterior wood finishes, we also have tips for renovating a deck easily, and all about how to stain a deck to make old planks look like new. I hope you find these guides useful!