Are you looking for instruction to create a faux driftwood finish with paint? I have written a how to on creating a grey wood grain type of look on a piece of furniture. This is really a simple project but can get a little messy.
The secret ingredient I used on this DIY project was PRIMER
It dries quickly and is easy to sand much like Annie Sloan Chalk Paint which you can substitute.
PREP: clean your furniture with a de-greaser,
soap and water is fine. I used WINDEX multi surface grease cutter.
You will need:
water based grey primer
water based white primer
some furniture paste wax
a spray bottle of water
a paint brush and bowl/container for paint
rags and a sanding block
STEP #1) Prime with one quick coat of the grey primer.
Brush in the direction of the wood grain, do not worry about streaks. (see picture below)
STEP #2) Once dry sand your edges and all surfaces smooth,
with a fine grit. (180 grit, 220 grit, 260 grit) (see picture below)
STEP #3) Thin your white primer with water till it is the consistency of milk.
See below how runny it is.
STEP #4) Practice makes perfect. Start trying your technique on the top surface.
The top is easiest to work on and can always have a different look then the body.
TIP:
Have your spray bottle of water ready to thin your white more while working with it.
Also have a rag handy to help move the white around. ALWAYS move in the direction
of the wood grain and start slow you can always add, taking away is much harder.
of the wood grain and start slow you can always add, taking away is much harder.
STEP #4) Follow the images below
Continue adding your white and spraying with your water bottle until you get the layered look you
want. Use your brush and rag to drag the white into a weathered white wash finish.
STEP #5)After the entire cabinet has the look of white you want, sand all the edges and high points again. Because we sanded before adding the white layers this step is quick and easy.
STEP #6) Now you can wax your project and call it complete, if you want.
OPTIONAL:
I went a little farther on this project.
I went a little farther on this project.
I wanted a bit more of a punch to the top surface but no photos of these next steps were taken as
it was way too messy to have my camera around. So the best I can offer are these next instructions.
it was way too messy to have my camera around. So the best I can offer are these next instructions.
PLEASE EXPERIMENT WITH THIS, FIND THE ARTIST INSIDE AND GO WITH IT.
Instructions: (rubber gloves will help)
I added a dark walnut gel stain by Varathane to the top right over the white.
Remember the bowl of white watery primer from earlier?
While the stain was still tacky I saturated it with
more white primer. And I mean I poured the remainder
of the dripping bowl on the top and spread it from side to side.
See in the photo below the streaks of dark brown left behind.
Water base primer won't normally adhere well to an oil based stain once dried that is why I did it
while it was tacky. Next using a sponge I lightly dragged it across the top in the direction of the grain
to remove the excess white primer but leaving this beautiful finish behind.
The top turned out mouth watering!
Below you can see the difference between the side and the top.
The final step is to wax and buff the whole piece,
which makes the layers really standout and the whole piece will shine.
I used MINWAX as seen below but any paste furniture wax will do including Annie Sloan Wax.
I used MINWAX as seen below but any paste furniture wax will do including Annie Sloan Wax.
Things to note:
- stain embeds into primer quickly so your working time is only seconds
- if you are working with solid wood pieces you can fix/sand anything you don't like
Full photos of the finished piece can be seen here:
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