Aging a tree with your own hands. Different technologies with step by step photos. Antique wood painting: work technique Aged wood products

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, has bactericidal properties. Furniture items, floors, doors, ceiling beams, various decorative elements made of natural wood, which can be processed better than other materials, look great in any room.

Why artificially age a tree

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

1. Personal preferences.
2. The processed material allows you to create one of the fashionable styles: vintage, shabby chic, retro, provence, country style.
3. If there is not enough money for antique furniture, then you can age the tree yourself. Subsequently, nothing will prevent you from passing off a table or chair made of such material as a product with a history.

How to age a tree. Master Class. brushing

There are several ways to achieve the desired result. The most interesting and most used of these is the method of texturing, or brushing. Its name comes from the English word brush, which means "brush" in translation. 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 the process of natural aging of a tree, the same changes occur with it, but this takes a very long time. Brushing is considered the closest to reality method of imitation of antiquity. It is used to give the wood a pronounced textured texture.

What types of wood are suitable for brushing

Converting an antique wooden surface using the brushing method is not difficult at all at home. But not all wood lends itself to such processing. In order to age a tree, you need to use rocks with a distinct 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 MDF products. But how to make an aged tree 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 a mechanical method.

Mechanical restoration

Brushing is a rather laborious process. The main tool in this case is a hard metal brush. Since it will not work quickly to age a tree in this way, the process can be accelerated. To do this, you need a drill or a 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 breaking off wood chips and metal rods. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to artificially age a tree and not suffer. Work is recommended to be carried out in a protective suit. To prevent small debris and dust from entering the eyes, it is necessary to wear special camouflage goggles or cover the face with a shield, and use a respirator to protect the respiratory tract.

Chemical processing

How to age wood with your own hands without using special tools? To do this, you need hard sandpaper. She needs to clean the surface, and then apply a solution of ammonia (ammonia), which causes a noticeable darkening of the wood. As a result, the structure of the tree will be able to appear especially brightly, and the noble darkening will give the finished product an antique look.

Depending on the degree of aging desired, this treatment can be light, superficial, using a non-rough polymer brush, or deep, when growth rings become visible. In this case, it is very important not to overdo it, since you can get not the desired textured noble product, but spoiled 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 that, the wood must be additionally carefully lightened with sandpaper and give it a final gloss.

Patination

To obtain the desired effect of antiquity, mechanical processing alone is not enough. Then you can simply varnish the product. But it is recommended to perform the so-called patination. This will further emphasize the relief surface of the product. Patina is a characteristic luxurious gloss that a tree acquires over the years. Its reconstruction at home is carried out in several stages and requires a lot of effort.

Patination is the process of applying special compounds and stains to the treated surface. They are chosen depending on the desired color and shade of the finished product. The compositions are applied in such a way that they get into the pores of the tree, which open during mechanical processing. It is important to achieve a patina effect, in which woody deep pores look a little darker and more contrast than lighter surfaces. When performing such processing on your own, it is recommended to use the paint of the desired color. To do this, the surface is first completely painted over, and then the top layer is removed with a sponge or cloth, without waiting for drying. As a result, the tree looks more ancient and noble.

But patination is not necessary at all. Antique enameled items also look great. With the help of such materials, you can create a real masterpiece, which will be distinguished from real antiques only by a true connoisseur of antiquities. One layer of enamel should be applied to the surface. Then the tree needs to be dried and another layer applied. When re-painting the enamel, it is necessary to choose a more liquid one and a different color. When the wood is completely dry, it is necessary to wipe the surface with sandpaper so that the bottom layer shows through and scuffs are obtained.

Toning. Varnishing

After patination, further toning should be performed. For this process, compositions based on natural oils and resins are used. At the last stage of processing, the tree is covered with 2-3 layers of varnish. Then it should be rubbed with a soft cloth to give extra shine. Varnishing fixes all previous stages and gives the product a finished look. Despite the fact that the process is laborious, anyone can master it. The main thing is to follow the technology. Then it will be clear how to age a tree with your own hands.

Brushing Secrets

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

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

Where can treated wood be used?

Far from every dwelling you can find processed material, since it is not enough just to age a tree. It is very important to use it correctly in the interior. Thanks to the use of the brushing method, you can create exclusive, almost antique products. For example, furniture items: exquisite book shelves, chests of drawers, wardrobes, kitchen sets, country furniture, picture or mirror frames, candlesticks and other decor.

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

Today, it is no secret to anyone how to age a tree. In addition to brushing, there are many more ways. 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, to connect eternal values ​​​​and the spirit of modern times, to fill the house with an atmosphere of noble antiquity.

03.09.2016 69048

Sometimes emphasizing old age is an original solution to the problem of unsightly sashes. So, beautiful without additional expenses. Of course, the effect should be deliberate - slovenliness is out of place in any interior. do-it-yourself wood aging - methods, tools and materials are described below.

Types of artificial aging of wood

The vintage original look of the doors is obtained in several ways. Below, they are listed in order of increasing effort and cost. The operation algorithm is also described. So:

• Thermal method or firing. The process will require a blowtorch and a coarse wood aging brush. The intensity of exposure is determined by the master himself - as a result, you can get pronounced natural patterns of wood or barely visible. After firing, the surface of the canvas is sanded with large emery cloth in different places to create the appearance of heterogeneity. The door for this method of aging should be massive, plank. Appropriate fittings - massive steel handles and.

How to do it right:

Use a hair dryer or solvent. The canvas is carefully sanded, the boards are knocked down so that there are no gaps. Not bad before aging with all sorts of protections - flame retardant, moisture-retaining composition. The existing cracks are left - they will give even more flavor. Hinges and handles are removed. The method takes a little time, it is safe with the skills of working with the tool.

• Blackening. The effect is achieved by rubbing shoe polish, stain or a strong manganese solution into the cleaned canvas. Pigmentation lingers on annual rings, sections, knots, and thus, it turns out, the effect of the opening darkened from old age is achieved. In addition, the last composition helps to disinfect the canvas if traces of mold or fungus are detected during cleaning.

How to do it right:

Everything ingenious is simple! To get antique doors, the previously cleaned surface with a solvent and a spatula is covered with black ink, and then the shoe polish melted to a liquid state is rubbed with a brush. You need to rub hard. The method has a drawback - it is important to ventilate the removed door leaf for a week - the smell is unpleasant.

• Traces of bark beetle. They represent paths from the movement of the larva. You can create them on the semi-antique door with your own hands using bent nails. Having spread them on the surface, they are driven in with a hammer, leaving dents over the entire area. It is important to free the rods from the hats in order to create a complete imitation. After work, the canvas is sanded with a fine sandpaper, making sure that the chip dust gets a little into the grooves. Next, varnish.

These antique effects are very easy and fast to get. The style of an apartment or house must be consistent, otherwise the effect is inappropriate.

Work with paint and varnish

You can get aged doors in other ways. They will require more time and labor. In addition, costs will increase due to the purchase of several shades of paint. So:

• A popular dry brush method. The canvas is cleaned and covered with a base primer. Until the layer is completely dry, with the end of a dry brush, strokes of a different shade are applied. The combination of colors can be different - contrasting or moving from one shade to another. Now the layers are given time to dry. The finished surface is cleaned with emery skins to further highlight the areas of scuffs. Again, a layer of a helmet of a different color is applied. The final color is pale yellow or white, which is used to cover the door with strokes. Allow to dry again and then sand. The final layer is varnish.
• Craquelure. Such artificial aging of a tree is done in several ways:

1. - lacquer and silver. A layer of varnish is applied to the prepared surface. After 30 minutes, it is dried with a hair dryer, as a result of which cracks appear. They are rubbed with silver paint, allowed to dry completely and the resulting effect is varnished.
2. - PVA glue. With it, create an antique design. A thick layer of glue on a previously cleaned canvas is not allowed to dry completely. A layer of acrylic paint is applied over it and then dried with a building hair dryer.
3. - gelatin or egg white is another way to age the paint on the tree. The prepared composition is applied to the painted surface with a wide brush - pre-soaked gelatin or protein. Allow to dry naturally and varnish.
4. - vinegar 9%. They moisten a fresh painted surface in a horizontal position. Cracks appear immediately.

It is important not to overdo it - the doors should be aged, and not put into disrepair.

• Mechanical structuring or brushing. The bottom line is to remove the soft fibers of the wood and expose the structure of the tree. For work, a special milling cutter with several nozzles is used - a wire brush for structure, a soft one - for cleaning and emery skins for polishing.

The door laid on a horizontal surface is cleaned by a chemical or hot method, then the machine is used. You can achieve the effect manually, but it will take more time. First they work with a rough nozzle, then they clean the chips and, finally, they polish. During each stage, various compositions are applied to the canvas - stain, ink, shoe polish, so that the further transformation of the old wood goes on continuously. The final step will be varnishing.

• Chemical brushing. Suitable as a wood aging effect that does not require the purchase of a special machine. For work, caustic alkalis, acids, ammonia are used. The process takes place away from residential premises in well-ventilated places and with the use of personal protective equipment - gloves, goggles, a respirator. It consists of the following:

1. - The canvas is cleaned and sanded.
2. - wetted with a large amount of caustic components.
3. - after softening the soft layers, processed with hard wire brushes and polishing.

Using the above methods, it is not difficult to artificially age a tree. In addition to the interior, wooden fragments of furniture - legs, armrests - are decorated in the same way.

Features of the wood aging process

Various methods of aging the door surface at home require compliance with the steps and nuances. For example:

• Cleaning cloths. Occurs with the use of a building hair dryer or solvents. A spatula is convenient to clean off peeling paint. It is important to remove all visible areas, otherwise they will not get the desired effect. In addition, chemical solutions must be suitable for future staining or varnishing - incompatibility will lead to the formation of bubbles and "husks".
• The chemical method of wood aging - brushing with caustic solutions, staining, occurs only with soft woods. Pine, spruce, suitable - oak and larch are only subject to mechanical processing.
• The mechanical method is associated with the formation of chips and fine wood dust, so the canvas is periodically moistened with water and debris is swept from the surface with a soft brush. Not by hand - to avoid splinters.
• Painting - craquelure, do-it-yourself wood aging with varnish, the dry brush method - should go with thorough mixing of the compositions so that air bubbles do not form on the surface. They, bursting, form ugly pits, and the artificial origin of the canvas becomes clear.

By itself, natural wood is beautiful and new canvases are unlikely to need to be decorated with the methods described. Work should be carried out only with used interior doors in order to give them a second life and save on the purchase of a new set.

Despite the variety of glossy facades, antique wood interior elements remain in demand. The purchase of such furniture will cost a pretty penny. In the case when you don’t really want to spend money, you should not refuse the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bhaving an aged chest of drawers or a table. You can try to age the furniture yourself. Let's try to figure out what technology is used to process semi-antique wood with our own hands. After all, natural conditions age a tree for many years. And to get the result quickly, you have to age the tree artificially.

You will not find semi-antique furniture in every home. It should be used where appropriate. The design of the room should be thought out in the appropriate style so that antique products look decent.

Usually, the tree aging procedure is performed for a specific purpose, namely:

• Satisfy the taste of the dwellers.
• Save money on antiques. It is much cheaper to buy inexpensive furniture and age artificially.

Using certain methods of aging wood, you can get exclusive things. Both the entire product and its individual parts are processed. Particular attention should be paid to items such as chests of drawers, sideboards, book shelves, mirror frames. They are most often aged, since it is difficult to imagine a vintage-style interior without these items.

Aging methods

The process of processing semi-antique wood with your own hands is carried out in several ways. The main ones are:

• Chemical processing- used for hardwoods.
• Roasting or heat treatment- universal option.
• Machining or brushing- this way you can process products made of oak or needles.

Furniture for aging is selected massive, with a rough texture, so that outwardly it resembles hand-made objects of past centuries. Before processing, it is better to disassemble the furniture into individual parts. This will make it possible to process even hard-to-reach places.

To facilitate the achievement of the effect of aging wood, it is better to purchase material that is already damaged by a bug, with minor chips, cracks and knots.

If the process of aging a tree with your own hands is performed for the first time, then it is better to practice a little on separate unnecessary bars. The quality of the result depends on how well the solution, stain or varnish is applied. It is recommended to perform work outdoors so as not to harm your own health.

How to make new boards or furniture look like old products? Now you know that several techniques are used for these purposes. Let's consider each of them in more detail.

Mechanical restoration

It is possible to age a tree mechanically in products from such species as pine, spruce, larch. It is these types of wood that have a pronounced texture, the presence of layers of fibers with varying degrees of hardness.

The main task during machining is the formation of various kinds of chips, potholes, cracks in an artificial way. You can achieve this by doing the following:

1. Wooden surfaces are processed with an ax or a special grinder. Potholes of various depths and widths are randomly applied to them. The bar is hewn, while you should not achieve special accuracy and symmetry.

2. After that, we proceed to grinding the surface with a brush with metal bristles. It will be easier to do this with a grinder and an appropriate nozzle. During processing, sanding is carried out along the grain until the inflicted potholes and chips take the form of naturally formed defects on the wood.

3. Then we move on to the second degree of grinding. At this stage, we work with a brush with soft bristles and sandpaper. During this treatment, soft fibers are removed, and coarser ones remain. Thus, we get an uneven tree structure. In the same way, you can additionally highlight knots and cracks.

4. At the next stage, we work on the color of the wood. It is necessary to bring the light new wood as close as possible to the shade of the board darkened from old age. Here you can apply a stain or a dark shade of acrylic-based paint.

5. When the applied product is completely dry, we process the surface with fine-grained sandpaper. At the same time, we try to perform all actions carefully. The paint must be removed from the hills and ridges, and it remains in the potholes.

6. At the final stage, we open the treated surface with a colorless or light yellow varnish and dry it completely.

On the video: a method of mechanical aging of a wooden board.

As for the question of how to age wood on small items, such as small pieces of furniture or wooden utensils, here the process is slightly simplified. The surface to be treated is thoroughly cleaned with a brush from wood dust until the desired effect is achieved. The subsequent staining and opening with varnish is identical to the process described earlier.

Brushing should only be done by hand using a metal bristle brush until small dents and ridges are achieved.

Heat treatment

Wood can be aged by heat treatment. A feature of this method of aging is the complete absence of mechanical processes. The disadvantage is a certain danger to human health during the work. Therefore, they should be performed outdoors, while protecting the skin, eyes and respiratory organs.

Heat treatment or firing is done by exposing the wood to direct fire. Either a torch or a blowtorch should be used. It is necessary to burn to a depth of about 3 mm.

If heat treatment is carried out superficially, then the effect of aging will not be as pronounced as with stronger firing.

After finishing the heat treatment, perform the following steps:

1. With the help of a metal brush or a grinder with a bristle nozzle, they begin to scrape off the carbon layer to the desired degree of antiquity. It is not necessary to paint the surface. Soot will highlight the entire structure.
2. Sanding is done with sandpaper.
3. A top coat of clear lacquer is applied to the aged wood.

chemical method

A tree can be aged during chemical treatment by means such as alkaline compounds or ammonia. You can use household chemicals that contain alkaline components.

The essence of the process lies in the fact that when the product gets on the wood, it burns out its soft tissues. The structure of a tree is distinguished by the presence of hard and soft tissues. When processing antique wood, soft tissues are removed in various ways.

In this case, the surface layer of wood is burned out with alkali, which in parallel paints it gray.

The next step is the process of washing off alkaline residues. To do this, you can use vinegar or citric acid. A solution of citric acid is prepared in the proportion: 1 teaspoon of acid per glass of water. If vinegar is used, then it should be a 9% solution. Acetic acid must not be used. Further, the treated surfaces are well dried, polished and varnished.

Aging a tree in all the ways listed above is quite simple if you make efforts and efforts. You can give the desired effect to any surface. Can be aged as small household items, furniture or even a wooden floor.

Choosing the appropriate design of the room, it has become fashionable to give wood products the effect of antiquity. There are several technologies that will visually add age and make decor details uniquely handmade.

They are easy to use, so you can do it on your own, saving money from the family budget.

Why is this kind of processing necessary?

The whole world around a person is filled with electronic assistants, artificial materials. Under these conditions, it is not surprising that among urban residents it has become popular to use wood in interior design in order to get a little closer to nature.

Carrying out the processing of antique boards or timber, the owner receives an exclusive product, because each tree has its own unique relief.

In addition, the aging technology significantly increases the strength of raw materials, in contrast to the natural effects of the environment and time.

And thanks to the coating of wood with protective solutions and varnishes, its service life is extended, in addition, paint or varnish prevents insects from entering, and prevents the process of wood decay.

This type of decorative finish is used for ceiling beams, flooring, furniture.

However, it is important to understand that not all lumber is suitable for this type of work. You can not use the aging technique for the following types of wood:

• cherry, pear (other fruit species);
• maple;
• alder.

Therefore, for semi-antique wood processing, it is better to purchase hardwoods, perfect for:

• nut;
• ash;
• larch;
• pine.

And after performing a high-quality tinting of the product, you can get an imitation of an expensive type of wood, taking as a basis a budget-priced pine or ash tree.

Important! Old trees require more careful processing, as they have many layers with different densities. Therefore, in order to accurately determine the age of raw materials, you need to pay attention to the number of rings on the cut: the more there are, the older the tree.

What methods of aging should be paid attention to?

You can create antiques from furniture in three ways, these include:

But wood patination is also distinguished, when special paints, wax or stains are applied to the raw materials in several layers, which, being absorbed, visually give the surface of the product an age.

Masters who will practice such an imitation for the first time with their own hands are recommended to practice a little on pieces of boards or timber in order to clearly understand all the nuances of the process.
It should be noted right away that if it is necessary to process the finished product, then it would be correct to initially disassemble it so that the entire surface has a uniform coating.

And to create an author's masterpiece, you should pay attention to wood slightly damaged by insects, the external environment, where there are knots, chips, because in the end such a product will look luxurious. Therefore, it will perfectly complement the kitchen, veranda, living room in the style of "Country", "Provence".

Thematic material:

mechanical way

This type of aging is called wood brushing, since brush in translation from English is a brush. It is this building element that performs the bulk of the work.

With the help of brushes, soft layers are removed from the surface of the wood, and the material acquires a relief. However, the desired effect will be obtained only when the cleaned raw materials are treated with paint or varnish, emphasizing and giving contrast to the pattern.

Important! For brushing, it is necessary to choose a tree with a clearly defined fibrous structure, otherwise the whole processing process may come to naught.

To carry out this method of aging, you need to have the following tools at hand:

• Bulgarian;
• electric drill;
• hard and soft metal brushes;
• sandpaper;
• paint brushes;
• stain;
• acrylic paint;

And in order not to harm health, all operations must be performed in an open space, adhering to safety rules.

Important brushing steps

Mechanical aging simulation consists of 3 main steps. Among them:

1. Chernova. A nozzle made of a metal brush in the form of a circle is installed on the grinder. The surface is processed along the fibers, while the pressure of the hand should not change so as not to damage the relief of the material.
2. Finishing or grinding. The electric drill is equipped with a brass brush, a grinder with a less rigid metal brush is also suitable, while the rotational speed of the tool must be reduced. The entire surface is processed, as a result of which various burrs, roughness must be eliminated. And in order for the wood to become pleasant to the touch, it is better to go over the top with sandpaper a couple more times.
3. Coloring and polishing. The final step, thanks to which the product acquires the expected antique look. A layer of stain is applied to the material, then gently washed off with a rag, due to which only soft parts of the raw material acquire color. If desired, you can add paint in bright colors. After drying, the wood is polished and varnished.

An option for aging products can be the use of craquelure varnish. After applying this varnish, cracks appear on the surface, into which paint can be rubbed and the raw material acquires a contrasting pattern.

wood burning

The impact of the high temperature of the fire on the raw material allows you to achieve the effect of antiquity in a short time.

As a tool, it is better to take a gas burner, since the blowtorch will smoke a lot, which can ruin the surface to be treated.

Operating procedure:

1. The material is burned by the burner to a depth of 3 mm evenly over the entire area. In this case, you should carefully watch so that the tree does not catch fire.
2. The charred layer of raw materials is removed with a metal brush.
3. The surface is polished with sandpaper.
4. Painting in this case is not necessary, you can simply apply a clear varnish to the product.

But you need to understand that firing indoors is prohibited and life-threatening.

Chemical method

If you decide to use this treatment method, you should immediately stock up on rubber gloves and a protective face mask so that the toxic fumes from the solutions do not cause poisoning.

Alkalis, such as cooker cleaners, are suitable as a base substance. The tree is covered with a solution in several layers and left for about 12 hours, no longer, depending on the substance and type of wood. Then it is thoroughly washed with a solution of vinegar. Its concentration is not more than 1 tsp. for 200 ml of water. When the surface dries, it must be sanded. Acrylic paint is applied to the processed material or varnished.

How much does wood aging cost?

The average price for brushing is from 350 to 1 thousand rubles per 1 m 2. The cost of services depends on the region, breed and size of the material. For example, processing 1 m2 of unpainted hardwood boards will cost 50-100 rubles more than the same lumber from pine or spruce.

If the client wants to immediately order the painting of raw materials, then the cost of work can be safely multiplied by 2. The consumer can find photos of the services offered on any website of the enterprise of interest.

Of course, the prices for such an imitation of antiquity are high. Therefore, you can stock up on the necessary set of tools, patience and make an antique wooden masterpiece at home, the quality of which will not be inferior to factory counterparts.

Actually, the aging of wood itself is a rather long process and depends on the conditions of initial processing, operating conditions and the environment. Therefore, here I will describe several types imitations old wood and, accordingly, the furniture that is or is made from it.

Can be distinguished two directions of techniques and technologies of artificial aging (aging) of wood:

Mechanical impact on wood

Playing with color

Mechanical impact on wood

It can be subdivided into the following imitations, which by themselves do not provide credibility and are therefore used in conjunction with a color scheme:

* embossed texture of old wood (brushing);

* destructive impact of tree pests (bark beetles, larvae…)

Hitting wood with a bag/sock/glove with nails

Drilling wormholes and "drawing" wormhole grooves with a 1-5 mm drill

* accidental mechanical damage during operation (when carrying furniture, fell, maybe something or hit furniture ...)

* abrasion in places of frequent contact with clothes, shoes, hands, and other parts of the body (for example, like old worn-out wooden stairs)

* old and manual processing methods:

- "curve" cut

Uneven wood surface (an angle grinder with an abrasive nozzle can inaccurately remove the top layer from the surface of a furniture board or any wooden workpiece)

tool marks

- carpenter's "mistakes" ...

Playing with color

Here are the simulations:

* precious woods (this does not apply to aging, but it is quite good for playing with color)

* changes in the color of wood in adverse environmental conditions (darkening, withering of the wood texture, wood pollution, "patina", blue, rot)

* aging of the paintwork surfaces themselves (for example, the formation of a network of cracks / crackle technique, craquelure / or imitation of paintwork wear)

* repainting (when old layers are visible through the "new" coating... there are many photos with it in the article)

* in itself, the use of natural oils and wax can emphasize the "antiquity" of aged furniture

And some more photos of painted wood that lives on the street:

An extreme method is the use of a torch. The desired areas are set on fire to the desired condition and the extra "coals" are removed until the desired effect is obtained. Naturally soft fibers burn deeper.

Chemical aging of wood

Of course, there are enthusiasts who poison the tree with active chemicals, such as alkali, ammonia and various acids (oak, for example, is advised to be poisoned with vitriol). Such treatment changes color and usually "eats" the soft fibers of the wood, and reveals pores in hard woods.

Usually applied as gels, soaked or steamed.

You can see more here:

Dyes and pigments in combination with varnishes, paints, oils and waxes can "age" wood, both by independent methods and by emphasizing mechanically "aged" wood. You can read about which oils polymerize in the article on wood stabilization.

Here is one of successful examples of artificial aging of wood(photo 1200*900):

And another selection of real examples of artificial aging of wood:

Long ago I promised to tell how to age wood on a specific example. An example is this:

1. Creation of the base surface of mechanical aging of wood:

Smoothing and grinding of sharp corners in places where the greatest use is likely

This technique is used in other places, all the same, our subconscious associates such places as very worn and old

Application of traces of machining

In my case, these are traces of an abrasive tool.

2. Sanding fine abrasive (180) of the entire surface

3. Application of the base coating. It can be a regular colorless or tinted lacquer for toning. Pictured is the top board.

This is done so that the tree does not dry out and creates an intermediate layer for "patina".

Tinted varnish is applied, and the excess is immediately wiped off with a dry cloth to reveal the texture of the wood, mechanical damage and leaving smears from the cloth.

4. More detailed mechanical aging of wood:

Marking and drilling wormholes

Refinement and / or addition of major damage (abrasion, bumps, scratches)

Adding a network of small damage with a bag of nails, screws, nuts, balls and other metal "garbage"

5. Gentle grinding (400)

6. Application"patina". In quotation marks because it is not a patina, but an imitation of old "age-old" dirt, which is similar to the patina that forms on metal

It is applied in the same way as tinted varnish, only more carefully. It should get into all the recesses and damage and leave picturesque stains. "Drawing" the darkened areas of the tree near the cluster of wormholes...

If at this stage the top layer of paintwork is sanded off, you will get the same effect as in the second photo. The third photo is the same, but with toning.

7. Gentle grinding(400) and sanding off the patina on the outer corners and places of frequent use (lower board in the photo in point No. 3).

8. Application of tinted varnish. It is applied creatively so that uneven colors and strokes are visible.

Toned lacquer on the right, patina on the left.

9. Gentle grinding (400)

10. Conventional protective varnish with interlayer grinding. Can be blown out with a spray gun.

11. Application of diluted "patina". We rub into all the cracks. We wait until it dries and polish the surface along the tops so that the patina remains only in damages, recesses and inner corners.

In the second photo on the left is a finished board made of aged wood with a "patina", on the right without it.

Ready.

Whatever else I remember, I'll add. What do you remember - also add in the comments.

[comments/talk]