The current trend is the transformation of various pieces of furniture, their decorative finish. Methods of influence on the surface are chosen in accordance with the interior, preferences, or simply according to mood. In this article, we tried to describe the basic techniques, materials, sequence of actions and their results that will help you age almost any surface.
Consider the options:
"Dry brush"
Dry brush- a technique borrowed by decorators from painters. And if in painting this method creates an image, then in practical decor it is a great way to make an object look old, to add years to it.
The essence of the technique: a little paint is picked up on a flat synthetic brush, the excess is wiped off, this is done on paper (palette, rag) until each hair of the brush gives a separate line.
And now, with light movements, lightly touching the object, we “dirty” it, focusing on the protruding parts: ribs, convex pattern, etc.
Thus, the relief is emphasized and scuffs are imitated.
Applying patina or patination
Patina is a greenish-brown coating that forms on copper and bronze objects as a result of environmental oxidation. In a broader sense, patina is understood as traces of aging on any objects created from any materials.
Patination in decoration is an imitation of the darkening of the surface, which in its natural form looks like changes in color after a long period of time and frequent contact with hands. Patina is dark, colored, metallic, white (laying).
The patinating composition is applied to the edges, corners of the object, or vice versa, into the recesses of the relief parts. There are several types of patination.
2. Patina based on acrylic
3. Chemical patina
A special oxidizing agent is applied to the paint with finely dispersed metal particles, which causes the metal surface to age (oxidize) within a few minutes.
Glaze
Glaze- This is a painting technique in which the lower layer of the paint layer shines through the upper translucent one. The technique is widely used not only in painting, but also in interior design, including painting objects. The technique allows you to get deep iridescent colors due to the translucency of the glazing layers.
Various paints and coloring compositions are suitable for glazing: watercolor, oil, acrylic paints, strong brewed tea. It is convenient to use a solution of acrylic paints. A wide palette allows you to get the right color.
The paints are easily mixed with each other, diluted with water or acrylic thinner to the desired consistency, dry quickly after application, then resistant to moisture and mechanical stress and can be applied to any surface.
Technological process: With a synthetic brush or sponge, apply the solution to the prepared surface, wait for it to dry and evaluate the result. Glazing does not completely paint over the structure of the base or the previously applied image, it only sets the tone. To enhance the effect, you can apply a second layer of glazing paint and then the color intensity will increase.
If you apply several translucent layers of paint of different colors, as a result we get different shades that show through each other.
Spray
Spray- droplets-splashes on the surface of the decorated product, which create an image of a thing that has passed through time, reflect the history of its use.
An artistically soiled thing in such a simple way receives a unique visual charm and a relief that is pleasant to the touch. This is all very important, since the items chosen for decoration are designed for the beloved home and for people dear to the heart.
The process itself is very entertaining. Before you start, you need to prepare the workplace. For example, cover the surface with newspaper or cloth. Of the tools you need a toothbrush or a hard brush. From materials: paints and water in a glass.
Progress:
Wet the brush with water and pick up a small amount of paint on it. We try with a fingernail or a toothpick to launch drops on the still test surface of the sample, simply by running the tool along the bristles.
With a wide brush, you can simply shake off drops or tap your hand with a brush, then small colored droplets break off the brush and fly down. Having decided on the application process, it's time to conjure.
Spraying is the last operation before varnishing. Drops applied on top of the varnish will differ from the general glossiness of the surface of the object, this effect will introduce an additional effect of a gap in time.
Crackle
Crackle- the technique of artificial aging, the creation of cracks in the paint or varnish layer.
1. Craquelures are divided into one-step (single-phase) and two-step (two-phase)
One step craquelure looks like a cracked layer of paint, through the cracks of which the lower layer of paint or the base of the product is visible. The basis can be any: glass, metal, plastic, wood and similar materials.
Two step craquelure looks like a network of fine cracks (cracked varnish) on the surface of any image or coating.
2. Eggshell crackle
Gives a bright high relief cracking effect. A clean shell is glued onto PVA or acrylic varnish in pieces at some distance from each other. Sometimes the relief is additionally emphasized by patination or the “dry brush” technique.
Color self cracking lacquer. It is applied to the surface in a thick layer and left to dry. Forms large cracks.
4. Two-component microcraquelure
Gives the effect of thin cracks - cobwebs. Transparent, due to which it is often used over images.
After drying, cracks are often emphasized by patination.
5. Paint-craquelure
Self-cracking paint with one-step craquelure effect.
Gentle scuffs in the style of Shabby Chic or Scuffing Technique using a candle
The technique is simple and consistent. The corners, sides, joints of the primed planes of the object are covered with paint of a saturated shade, the paint layer is rubbed with paraffin, then covered with light paint, most often 2 layers are required.
Now the mechanics: sandpaper in places where paraffin and the 1st layer of paint are applied, the top layer is removed. Thus, scuffs, imitation of use, the effect of aging appear.
Delicate pastel colors are traditionally used in this technique. with "sweet" shades, as if sun-bleached or faded from time to time:
Light pink;
Ivory;
Creamy;
Hyacinth;
Lavender;
White (but not snow-white, but as if slightly yellowed from time to time);
pistachio;
Linen.
You can add “shabby chic” with painting, motifs from decoupage cards or napkins, add splashes. The final coat will be several layers of acrylic matte varnish.
Etching
Suitable for objects of any size made of wood. Deciduous trees lend themselves best to this method of processing. In this way, you can give the wood noble, rich shades, without losing the natural beauty of the texture of the material.
Etching is carried out with various compositions - mordants. Some of them have complex names or strong smells, but along with them there are many recipes available for making your own hands, such as tea, coffee, leaves, bark compositions; potassium permanganate, blue, vinegar are used. For those who feel like a bit of a chemist, tinting wood surfaces is a good idea.
The process can take place in two ways:
1. Hand painting with a lint-free swab or synthetic brush.
2. Dyeing by soaking in the etching composition.
Most often, the process takes place at elevated temperatures. After selecting and acquiring (mixing) the desired composition, the wood is cleaned of excess and cleaned with sandpaper. Then the etching-staining process itself. As a rule, the time of exposure to the composition and the expected result are attached to the mordant recipe. Basically, all the same, control is carried out visually and, of course, here is the place for creativity.
The effect of various dressings on different types of wood
| Copper vitriol, 1% |
Iron vitriol, 4-5% |
Iron vitriol, 1% |
Zinc vitriol, 2,5% |
potassium hrompik, 3% |
potassium hrompik, 5% |
||
| Oak, willow | Brown | blue-black | Lilac gray | Red-brown | Light brown | Dark brown | |
| Nut | Brown | blue-black | Lilac gray | Red-brown | Brown | Dark brown | |
| Beech | Black | Lilac gray | Red-brown | Light brown | Dark brown | ||
| Maple | Dark grey | Light lilac gray | tan | yellowish golden | |||
| Birch | Dark grey | Light lilac gray | Dark red | greenish yellow | yellowish golden | ||
| Aspen | Dark silver gray | Silver gray | |||||
| Linden | Light brown | Pink | Dark red | ||||
| The Red tree | Black | gray purple | Reddish brown dark | Dark brown | |||
| sulfate manganese, 2,5% |
Chloride calcium, 1% |
English salt, 2% |
Chlorine iron, 1% |
Chloric copper, 1% |
potassium hrompik and iron vitriol (by 1.5%) |
||
| Oak, willow | Dark brown | Red-brown | Brown | bluish gray | Light brown | olive brown | |
| Nut | Dark brown | Red-brown | Brown | Dark blue | Darkening | ||
| Beech | Dark brown | Red-brown | Brown | Grey | olive brown | ||
| Maple | taupe | ||||||
| Birch | Brown | Coffee | Violet | Olive | |||
| Aspen | |||||||
| Linden | Brown | Coffee | Violet | ||||
| The Red tree | gray purple | Darkening | |||||
The most common method of mechanical aging of wood is brushing. Its name comes from the word Brush - "brush".
The surface is treated with metal brushes, choosing the upper soft fibers, leaving only hard ones.
The ideal way to age if the furniture is from:
Larches;
This method will not work if the furniture is made from:
Wood brushing with firing or smoking
It is carried out using either an open flame, or, which is much more convenient, using a blowtorch or gas burner. Directing the flame to the surface of the wood, you can achieve a different shade of wood - from light golden to black. The color depends on the initial color of the wood and on the number of fire passes. Then brushing is performed - processing the surface of the wood with a hard wire brush. At the same time, the softer, burnt parts of the wood are cleaned out, while the harder ones (annual rings) remain in place.
Another way - firing in hot sand
Fine clean sand is poured into a metal container and heated to a temperature not exceeding 200 degrees C. Place the items prepared for firing in the hot sand and hold there until they darken. If the tone of the individual parts of the product should lighten gradually, then these parts are immersed vertically in the sand. The lower layers of sand heat up more than the upper ones, respectively, the lower part of the piece will be darker than the upper one. Thus, a tone is obtained that changes from light yellow to dark brown.
The surface treated with brushes and fire can be toned using the glazing or dry brush method, adding images using decoupage technique or adding colors by splashing.
Additional mechanical action
Sometimes time comes in the form of a wood-boring beetle. To simulate such damage left by insects, craftsmen use an awl, a drill, and even a laser. In the same way, minor damage is applied - chips or scuffs similar to those that surfaces have received for decades.
Another way to cause noble damage is to put nuts and bolts in a rag and beat an object with this bag. And then artistically ennoble to the desired result.
Imitation of the past decades, aging techniques and techniques combined with chemical and mechanical processing, give excellent decorative results.
For practical decoration, most of the materials in the arsenal are deservedly occupied by acrylic-based compositions. They are convenient to use in work: almost odorless, diluted with water, easily washed off the tools. They have a variety of effects (imitation of metals, oil paints, matte tempera) and different textures. A color scheme can inspire a makeover, even if it hasn't been planned. They are durable, resistant to water and sunlight.
Sebilkova Anna
Brushing wood with your own hands is an interesting technology that allows you to artificially age a tree. The natural aging process takes decades. But now, with the help of special tools, this effect can be achieved at home quickly and without significant material costs. Aged material is ideal for decorating classic, vintage and rustic styles.
Brushing wood with your own hands: how the process is carried out
Residents of modern cities increasingly prefer styles with a pronounced individuality in the decor of the room: classic, vintage, rustic and country.
The main detail of such interiors is wood. Thanks to this material, the design of the room acquires a uniqueness and inimitable charm. But for a classic and vintage style, a tree in its original natural form is not suitable. In this case, an aged tree is best suited, which has a more attractive and noble appearance. This material is suitable for the manufacture of any element of decor: a vintage lamp, a wooden chest of drawers, stylish doors and window frames, fireplace lining.
Under natural conditions, the process of wood aging drags on for decades, since the original patterns on the wood surface are formed slowly and unevenly. Therefore, this material is rare and expensive. But among modern technologies there is a simple and fast way to artificially age a tree. This process is called brushing. Interest in this method is shown not only by lovers of elite vintage furniture, but also by those who want to diversify the interior of country houses.
Do-it-yourself wood aging (brushing) is a decorative technology for processing wooden products, during which an artificial effect of antiquity is created for an ordinary wooden surface. The method got its name from the English word brush - brush. The aging process is also called wood structuring.
The method of artificial brushing is based on the difference in hardness of the layers that make up the wood. In the process of work, the soft light layer is removed. As a result, the areas become embossed, which gives the material a special look that is inherent only in fairly old trees.
Types of safe finishing materials for interior decoration, their specificity and features of use, prices.
Process automation: machines and machines for brushing wood
Mass production of artificially aged wood requires speed of work. Some stages of wood processing can be mechanized, which will simplify the work of obtaining aged wood. To do this, you will need drills with speed control and special machines for brushing.
Consider the most popular models of specialized techniques for structuring a tree.
Festool rustofix ras 180 wood trimmer or brush machine. Wood brushing brushes can be purchased with this tool. They are of three types:
- steel wire brush for primary processing of boards;
- brush with synthetic bristles for intermediate grinding;
- sisal or hair brushes for polishing the back surface of the product.
The Makita 974 grinder is used for brushing wood. But during operation, difficulties may arise with the processing of areas at the corners of the part. Therefore, at the joints, it is recommended to use a special angle grinder with different nozzles or use a nylon brush dressed on the grinder for brushing. Such a brush is highly wear-resistant and allows you to process the ends, edges and contours of parts with complex shapes.
The Felisatti AGF 110/1010E grinder is suitable for processing both smooth and uneven surfaces. The tool comes with nylon and metal brushes.
Useful advice! It makes sense to buy a wood brushing machine only if large volumes of work are planned. Brushes for brushing wood can be bought both with a machine and purchased separately.
How to age a tree with your own hands: technology
The process of aging opens up the widest possibilities for the master to change the structure and color of different types of wood. Before proceeding directly to structuring, the wood must be prepared. The material for brushing should be free of defects, notches and irregularities, and the humidity should be 10-12%, but not more than 15%. If the tree does not meet these characteristics, then the wood fibers will tear during processing, and a beautiful result from structuring will not work.
Let us consider in more detail the process of how to age a tree at home. The work with the material can be divided into several stages.
Before starting work, it is necessary to perform the primary processing of the part, namely: to moisten the tree. This will prevent the spread of dust throughout the room during operation.
Next, you will need a manual brush for processing. Depending on the hardness of the wood, we choose the stiffness of the metal brush for roughing. The bristles of the tool must easily remove soft surface fibers, but must not damage hard ones. Move the brush in the direction of the fibers.
If you decide to automate the processing process using a brush for brushing wood on a grinder or grinder, then you should remember that the movements are carried out along the fibers. It is necessary to move the tool with such intensity that the fibers are effectively scraped out.
You need to carefully select the speed: too high a speed of the brush can cause the wood to bake. When using a hand tool, this problem does not arise, but more effort needs to be applied. Also, manual processing will be delayed in time.
Useful advice! It is better to select the speed on a separate small sample of the tree. The optimal number of revolutions is 1500-2200, but for different breeds it may differ.
Then we carry out the primary grinding of the part. To do this, we use a polymer brush with an abrasive applied to it. This stage will remove roughness and fiber fragments from the surface of the part. By removing all unnecessary, you can evaluate how deeply and efficiently the structuring of wood is performed. If necessary, the grooves can be further deepened, making the structuring more distinct.
At the next stage, you can think about the decorative design of the part. For this, recesses and grooves of arbitrary shape are made with a chisel in different places of the part. In appearance, they will resemble cracks that appeared naturally.
Next comes the final polishing. To do this, you need a sisal or hair brush. This tool for wood will give the details a finished look, fully showing all the decorative texture. In manual processing, instead of a brush, fine-grained sandpaper with an abrasive surface is used. It will allow you to make a perfectly polished surface of the workpiece.
Then the wood must be well dried. It must be completely cleaned of dust and thus prepared for further painting and varnishing.
The application will make the product look old by creating contrasting textured patterns. A generous application of the compound with quick removal of excess will allow you to paint over parts with soft fibers and leave light areas with hard fibers. Soft fibers quickly absorb paint, which means they are dyed, while hard fibers do not have time to absorb the pigment during this time, so they remain light. A tree painted with gold or silver paint looks especially beautiful.
Against the background of the natural color of the tree, this pigment creates glare on the surface of the part in the sun. This gives the product an original decorative effect and luxury. The product will look especially presentable if the tree is patinated - painting over the deepest cracks with darker paint.
At the final stage, the product is polished again to remove the roughness and irregularities that appeared after staining.
Useful advice! Lacquering is carried out on completely dry and cleaned wood. To paint brushed parquet, it is necessary to use a special parquet varnish. This will allow the finished coating to maintain a presentable appearance and performance characteristics for a long time.
Wood brushing: features of wood chemical structuring
Brushing with the help of chemistry is rare, even though the use of chemically active compounds greatly facilitates the process of artificial aging of wood. To carry out chemical processing of wood, it is necessary to have special knowledge and skills to work with chemicals. In addition, the method has a drawback - it is not always easy to buy the necessary reagents.
For the chemical structuring of a tree, acids are needed: hydrochloric and sulfuric, alkali and ammonia. Reagents applied to the surface of the material corrode the soft fibers. The master can only scrape off unnecessary wood.
Stages of chemical brushing of wood:
- Surface grinding and decontamination.
- Apply a thin layer of chemicals to the surface of the part. During chemical structuring, the evaporation of reagents must be monitored. If necessary, it is recommended to reapply them.
- When the chemical has taken effect, that is, it has softened the outer fibers, the part must be washed under running water and the remnants of the reagent removed with a soft bristle brush.
- Next, the tree must be thoroughly dried, painted or varnished.
The availability and demand for brushing allows you to perform this method at home. When structuring wood, it is imperative to adhere to safety regulations. Work with tools and a machine for brushing wood should be carefully and carefully. All artificial structuring processes must be carried out in special protective clothing, goggles and gloves. If antiseptic solutions are used during work or too much dust accumulates in the air from wood, then you should work in a respirator.
Brushing a wooden surface is an unusual way to make a piece of wood more beautiful, unusual and attractive. This method is very popular among interior designers and ordinary people, since everyone can artificially age a tree. You need to spend a little time and effort to get luxurious furniture or a chic original ceiling, stylized antique. For a better effect, patination of furniture can be carried out.
Artificial brushing of wood: the price of work
The main task of wood brushing is to create and emphasize the unique texture of the surface of the board. The result is a material with a clearly defined natural material pattern. The procedure is suitable for many types of material. The cost of standard brushing is 350 rubles. per sq. m. When ordering additional painting, the cost increases. The price of the work depends on the chosen type of wood, as well as on the size of the board.
The cost of each stage of artificial aging is usually calculated separately. You can order separately grinding or just impregnation. The most profitable option is a full brushing service from the beginning of work to the final coverage with the purchase of material. It is possible to perform artificial structuring from your material.
Wood brushing workshops perform an individual calculation of the cost of processing, depending on the type of wood, the size of the product and the list of services.
Brushing is performed over any kind of wooden materials:
- bar;
- lining;
- planks;
- block house;
- planks.
Scope of application of tree structuring technology
The structuring method is very popular in the manufacture of interior items and room elements. Such wooden products will be an original addition to classic and vintage interiors. In addition, the advantage of brushing technology is the ability to independently create exclusive things. In addition, this method belongs to the category of simple processes available to everyone.
Fireplaces, shelves, columns, wall panels, as well as aged wood are used as ceiling beams with a brushed board. This material creates a unique entourage for living rooms and halls, halls of cafes and restaurants. The interior design is filled with aristocracy and luxury, and aged wood creates warmth and comfort in the room.
Wooden furniture with brushed elements looks stylish and sophisticated. Artificial aging and patination of wood with your own hands allows you to make absolutely any furniture: cabinets, chests of drawers, pegs, beds. The use of brushed elements in furniture and interior design has no restrictions and prohibitions - it all depends on your imagination and creativity.
The recent fashion for vintage products, cars and retro-style clothing has not bypassed the design of wooden products. Antique wood processing allows you to create an interior in new buildings that looks as if the apartment was inherited by the owners from their great-grandfathers. The owners of country houses decorate the facades and interior space with old wood. Artificially aged wood is used to make decorative false beams on the ceiling, stairs, doors and other design elements that give the house a resemblance to a medieval castle or a fairy-tale forest hut.
The high cost of artificially aged wooden objects makes home craftsmen want to make the necessary things with their own hands, achieving both a reduction in the cost of the product and its genuine uniqueness. Doing the work of aging a tree is not at all as difficult as it might seem from the outside. You just need to know about the main ways to achieve a beautiful textured surface on ordinary lumber, which can be purchased at any company that sells building materials and wood.
How to prepare for work?
There are 3 methods of wood aging: chemical, thermal, mechanical.
There are 3 widely used:
- chemical, which is only suitable for hardwood products;
- thermal (firing) - applicable to wood of any breed;
- mechanical (brushing) - suitable for conifers and oak.
To work with wood, the following tools and materials are required:
- axe;
- drill or grinder with nozzles;
- brush with metal bristles;
- hair brush;
- paint brushes;
- stain, acrylic paint, colorless varnish, wax;
- sandpaper.
When purchasing boards or timber from which it is planned to create an artificially aged thing, you can choose specimens that are already damaged by a bug, have chips and potholes on the surface, small cracks and knots. After processing, they will give a special charm to the "old" subject.
Ready-made furniture for aging is selected massive, a little rough or in a rustic style, similar to hand-made piece furniture of the last century. Before decorating in any way, it is best to disassemble a piece of furniture into its component parts. This will allow you to process all surfaces without leaving untreated areas in hard-to-reach places that will catch your eye.
Before you start decorating an item for the first time, you should practice and get your hand on various waste pieces of boards and any wood. The master will act more confidently, with knowledge of many of the nuances that may arise during work. On the same tutorials, it is convenient to select the tone of paints or stains, to evaluate in advance what will be the result.
Many operations (brushing, painting and drying after it, firing) should be done outdoors.
The most affordable materials for purchase are coniferous wood: pine, spruce, larch. They have a pronounced structure and a pattern formed by fibers of different hardness. This makes them suitable for mechanical decoration.
With the help of tools that destroy the upper layers of the tree, you can achieve the effect of aging much faster than if it happened naturally. All abrasions, potholes and cracks can be simulated by 2 methods:
- On the surface of a board, beam or log with a sharp corner of an ax, apply potholes of different depths and vastness in a chaotic manner. Cut off the corners of the bar a little with an ax, without worrying about accuracy or a flat surface. After that, all surfaces treated in this way must be carefully sanded with a stiff brush with steel bristles. When grinding a large product, it is better to use a drill or grinder with a special nozzle. It is necessary to grind until all the sharp edges that have arisen during cutting with an ax acquire the outlines of natural damage smoothed out by time. It is important to remember that the movements of the brush should always be directed along the fibers. The next step will be sanding to remove protruding fibers and steel brushing with softer bristles than the 1st time. At the same time, part of the soft fibers is removed, forming shallow depressions between the ridges of the harder winter wood fibers. The same brush can additionally highlight knots and cracks.
- After sanding the light surface of the new product, it is required to give it a resemblance to the old wood that has darkened from time to time: paint it with stain or dark acrylic paint. After drying with a sandpaper with a medium grain, without strong pressure, rub the wood a little, removing the paint from the protruding ridges and hills. In this case, the dark color is preserved in the potholes and between the fibers. For final finishing, the product is covered with acrylic transparent or light yellow varnish, dried until completely dry.
More "humane" way. Suitable for medium-sized products and furniture, wooden utensils and other small surfaces. Brushing is done by hand, with a brush with metal bristles. In this case, as in the previous case, the soft fibers are removed, leaving the ridges of hard wood. Wood dust is swept away with a hair brush, controlling the process by eye and achieving the desired degree of abrasion of the surfaces. After that, the product is painted and decorated, as indicated above.
Thermal and chemical wood processing
These methods can be called related, since the destruction of the upper layer of the tree occurs almost without mechanical influences. These are more dangerous methods than the previous ones, so processing should be done in the air and in compliance with safety measures.
The essence of firing lies in the fact that soft fibers are destroyed when exposed to open fire. To do this, the surfaces of the workpiece are fired with a flame of a blowtorch or a special gas burner to a depth of 3 mm. With surface firing, the effect of aging will be negligible, with deeper firing it will be more pronounced. The master at the same time regulates the process depending on his taste and needs.
After charring the top layer, a metal brush or a nozzle on a drill is put into action, scraping off the carbon deposits until the desired color and texture is obtained. Such wood can not be painted, because it will already have dark and light areas. The final processing consists in sanding and varnishing the product.
With the chemical method, antique wood decoration occurs in the process of exposure to alkalis or ammonia. To do this, you can use aerosols for cleaning stoves or a sewer cleaner. It is necessary to familiarize yourself with the composition of the product before use, it must contain alkali. Particular attention should be paid to precautions when working with it.
Once on the surface of the tree, these chemicals "burn out" some of the soft fibers, while painting the tree gray. After treatment, all surfaces are washed with water and covered with a weak solution of table vinegar or citric acid (1 tsp per 200 ml of water), removing alkali residues.
When using vinegar, pay special attention to the fact that it should be 9% table vinegar, and not acid.
Dried products are subjected to brushing and staining, if necessary.
Processing wood in the above ways will help the owner to decorate the interior of an antique apartment himself, without investing a lot of money and without spending a lot of time on it. The availability of materials and tools for processing allows both a sophisticated carpenter, a beginner, and even a woman with imagination and skillful hands to engage in this type of creativity.
Antique wooden products with a faded surface, textured notches and openwork grooves left by carpenter bugs are distinguished by special luxury and charm. Of course, the natural aging process of wood takes many years. However, if desired, the tree can be aged artificially. There are several techniques by which you can give your new wooden things a spectacular antique look.
Chemical treatment is ideal for artificially aging hardwood:- To begin with, wooden blanks are thoroughly cleaned of stains and dirt.
- To make the natural pattern of wood more textured and voluminous, the boards are alternately treated with coarse and fine-grained sandpaper.
- Next, the polished wood is wiped with a rag or sponge soaked in ammonia or other alkaline solution. As a result of such simple processing, the workpieces acquire a noble darkening.
- Finishing varnishing with a transparent glaze will give the prepared wooden products a rich iridescent gloss.
- Cleaned from stains and dust, wooden parts are fired with a blowtorch or gas burner until a slight soot appears.
- Next, the charred wood is manually processed with a metal / wire brush, after which it is cleaned with a fine emery cloth.
- To emphasize the beauty and texture of wood, products are covered with a stain of a neutral shade. To apply the solution, a soft, clean sponge is used, cavities and other hard-to-reach areas are painted over with a brush.
- The final stage of processing blanks is the application of decorative antique wax. The paste is rubbed into the wood in a circular motion using a woolen cloth.
- preparation of wood and rough selection of soft fibers;
- grinding and polishing workpieces;
- toning and varnishing of prepared parts.
An important nuance! For mechanical processing, it is recommended to use softwood with a pronounced patterned texture - pine, spruce, fir, larch, linden, ash or walnut.
- Before starting work, be sure to put on protective equipment: a high-quality respirator, plastic goggles and thick gloves will protect you from wood dust and flying particles of metal bristles.
- It is desirable to organize the workplace in such a way that the light rays are directed perpendicular to the wood fibers.
- In the process of work, avoid strong pressure on the surface to be treated, the pressure on the tool should be moderate.
- Before direct brushing, new brush heads must be “run in”, otherwise the wooden blanks will be covered with a small fleecy “terry cloth”.
- The movements of the brush should be directed along the hard wood grains; cross-cutting can spoil the natural beauty of growth rings.
On a note! For greater naturalness, the product can be decorated with "wormholes". To do this, with the help of a blunt core or an awl, shallow holes are randomly punched in the wood.
At the third stage of brushing, the wood is tinted. To give the blanks a natural, aged look, they are painted with stain or acrylic paint in dark shades. First, the selected paint and varnish is abundantly applied to the wooden surface, then its excess is immediately removed with a rag or rubber spatula. Thanks to this tinting technique, potholes and depressions acquire a rich dark hue, while the protrusions, the so-called "ridges", remain lighter. After complete drying, the products are coated with a transparent protective impregnation or acrylic varnish.To simulate the aging of wood, you will have to stock up on remarkable patience. Such work does not tolerate fuss and haste. However, the result is worth it - an artificially aged tree looks incomparably beautiful, spectacular and soundly.
Modern design developments for interior design or the creation of furniture structures made of natural wood have recently proven themselves to be very original proposals. One of the fashion trends is the use of wood with the effect of aging, which is achieved by artificial methods.
What is brushing?
The word "brushing" is translated from English as "brush". Do-it-yourself wood brushing is done with a hard brush, which removes some of the fibers from the surface of the workpiece, and the created relief is emphasized by coatings. The process involves the creation of a surface in which rings appear and a pronounced structure.
How does a tree age?
Today, ordinary furniture can be given an original style if the wood is artificially aged using special methods. Interiors made of such details will also look expensive. Natural conditions help the tree grow old, but it takes quite a long time. At home, by reducing the time, you can get the final result by subjecting the wood to mechanical processing and coating with special compounds. In this article, the home master will receive not only advice, but also the answer to the question of how to age a tree with your own hands using special methods.
A few tips:
- A good effect can be achieved if used for work old boards. The absence of such simple material at home or on the site does not mean that it is not nearby. Most often, neighbors are willing to give away unwanted boards for free.
- It should be remembered that the purchase of old boards facilitates the work process, it is not difficult to age them.
- Wood different breeds ages differently regardless of the fact that the same coating materials are used. The fastening of products with different aging effects must be provided in advance in the finished wooden structure.
- A finished aged board today can be easily purchased at a store or on the market, sometimes there is no need to do the work.
Necessary materials
Work on the aging of the tree is carried out using:
- brushes with metal bristles;
- circular brush;
- sandpaper;
- sawdust brushes;
- several brushes;
- white spirit (solvent);
- dark "Pinotex";
- transparent and white azure "Belinka";
- big sponge.
Wood processing can be carried out in five ways.
Wood aging workshops
1. Aging by removing fibers from the surface, followed by painting.
For aging a tree with your own hands is used brush with metal bristles. It removes some fibers, due to which a unique pattern is created, which will later be emphasized by painting.
First the tree is needed sand, then process with a circular brush in an automated way. You can use a brush with a metal bristle and carry out the processing manually. In any case, the lines are drawn along the fibers.
When the sawdust is removed, a completely new look of the board is revealed, which needs to be emphasized with paint to age the wood.
Then the cleaned product is processed twice with a brush or roller, a translucent azure is applied to it. Belinka».
After a short time, a small layer of coating must be removed with a sponge to reveal relief. If such an aging effect satisfies the master, he can apply a transparent varnish on top.
In another case, the effect can be emphasized by applying another thin layer. azure, which is also removed with a sponge to make the bleached linen popular in this style. Lacquer or transparent paint is applied to the dried tree in one layer.
Various elements of wooden structures, made using this technology of wood aging, are perfectly combined in the old style.
2. Creating the effect of aging with a brush.
With the help of a brush, the wood is processed manually, which is covered with a white opaque azure in one layer. When the coating dries, the product is processed again.
The effect of aging becomes a white surface with a relief pattern.
3. Creating an antique pattern on a tree, which is covered with several layers of paint.
With this do-it-yourself wood aging, you can give it an ancient look when the thing looks like it has been worn from time to time. To begin with, the material is subjected to minor damage when it can:
- beat with a hammer;
- pierce in some places;
- scratch with a cutting tool;
- damage with a screw head or an iron bar;
- and other.
All possible manipulations are performed on the tree that can emphasize the ancient relief. After a layer is applied to the surface Pinotex having a thick consistency. Due to its density, it will be laid unevenly.
After the thick layer has dried, the surface must be finely brushed or sanded again. Damage should be kept small so that the effects of time appear to be minimal. Now the product is covered with white azure " Belinka", which has a liquid consistency. The coating must be applied in a thin layer, not necessarily evenly.
When the top layer dries, it must be scraped off, for which a brush is used, which performs longitudinal movements. The resulting relief emphasizes the effect of antiquity, but the color is still far from the real color that an aged tree has.
Now, in order to make a thing more natural, its shade must be slightly muffled. Azure is mixed with white spirit in a ratio of 1:1.
The product treated with the mixture has a calm surface in a warm tone, from under which the dark surface of Pinotex is visible. In this way, it is good to create aged wood furniture with your own hands.
4. Treatment by fire.
A gas burner is used. The result can be achieved in three ways:
- Wood processing is not required, its structure is emphasized by firing. Then the material is processed with fine sandpaper, sawdust is removed, and varnish is applied.
- Mechanical processing is carried out and the material is fired. As a result, the surface looks three-dimensional, and the tree looks rich.
- Do-it-yourself wood aging is achieved by intensive firing, when some fibers are removed. Then the product is mechanically processed with a brush having a hard metal bristle.
5. Creation of a three-dimensional product with gross damage, varnished.
The wood brushing tutorial shows what you need to do step by step in order to properly age the wood:
- First you need to make the right choice wood. She can't be young or tarry. It is better to use material with a clear structure.
- Manual processing is used plane, and not electric, which is not able to emphasize the natural effect.
- On the board manually with chisels serifs are made that do not have the correct shape. Notches must be made on the edges so that it looks like the product was chopped with an ax.
- In automatic mode with drills and hard fibers of the nozzle soft fibers are removed from the wood. Movement during work should be light. If you use a regular brush, then the processing will be rougher.
- Stupid nail allows you to add wormholes to the decor. It can be used to make shallow holes.
- The surface is cleaned with a brush from debris, it is applied Pinotex Ultra. This paint-lacquer is resistant to environmental influences.
- After drying, the surface is treated fine sandpaper, the processing of which will emphasize dark depressions and light ledges, giving the product volume. The pronounced wood structure now looks very beautiful.
- In conclusion, the tree is covered again varnish.
Photo of brushed wood
Examples of photographs depicting processed material allow you to see the wide decorative possibilities of wood aged by artificial methods. Products from various types of mature wood, opened with varnish, paint, wax, oil after brushing, can acquire all kinds of shades and get a new life.
