Distressed barn wood look with paint? Any tips, advice greatly appreciated.

ballisimo

Hi All,

I'm new to painting wood so have no idea really what I'm at. Hopefully one of the helpful experts on here can guide me, thanks in advance.

I'm building a home bar from scratch, I will be panelling the bar with 18mm thick pine boards (average type from building suppliers). They are quite yellow and new looking, not what I'm after.

The pic below is the look I am after, any thoughts on what colours, stains I would need to achieve it? I have watched a few YouTube videos but could find anything with this type of end product.

I have a really nice live edge slab for the counter top, picked it up from a salvage yard. Plan for this is to just sand it, little bit of stain and a wax, is this correct?

Cheers

Screenshot_20221118-075852_Pinterest.jpg

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058272518/distressed-barn-wood-look-with-paint-any-tips-advice-greatly-appreciated

Hard to fake properly but what you want are colourwashes which you layer up and sand between coats. The problem with that is that when you sand back it will be into new timber and that spoils the look.

Have you considered buying salvage wood?

Pine Carriage Boards Reclaimed for sale in Dublin for €40 on DoneDeal

ballisimo

Thanks for the reply. I was actually out there last week, it's where I got the live edge piece for the counter.

The salvaged wood is nice but I'm not mad about all the colours, particularly don't like red, prefer the darker colours coming through.

I seen a video where they put a very dark stain on the wood, wiped it off nearly immediately, then painted on a layer of white, then a layer of brown I think over it. Sanded it to differant levels and it worked out Ok - not exactly the look I am after.

If i went with the salvaged wood, what would need to be done to that wood? Would it need to be treated?

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119896723#Comment_119896723

You could varnish it...which will bring up the colours. But generally this stuff has survived decades so would not require any treatment, just let it continue doing what it is doing.

HazeDoll

Get busy with other aspects of the project. In the meantime Leave your pine outside where they'll get lots of sunshine and rain. They'll go that weathered grey colour soon enough. Free, low effort solution.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119896830#Comment_119896830

Will take at least a year and possibly warp and twist in 20 directions.

ballisimo

Thank you both, I think I'll have another look in the salvage places and hand pick the colours I like.