16 Ways How To Distress Wood and Make it Look Old and Weathered

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I wrote an article about staining pallets and wood, in general, some time ago. But here I’d like to show you how to make your projects even more exciting.

Most of the pallets used for projects have been around for some time, so they already have some character. The same goes for used furniture. But what if you want to use new pallets/wood?

What about wooden but dull furniture? How to distress wood to make it look aged, like barn wood, for example?

Being a crafter and DIY-er myself, I’m always looking for ways to make my crafts look more original/unique.

One way that I do this is by distressing the wood that I use in my projects. Distressing wood can be done with just a few tools, like sandpaper of different grits or some paintbrushes.

And best of all, it’s pretty easy to do! In this post, I’ll show you 16 ways how to distress wood and make it look old and weather-worn without too much effort!

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Why distress wood/furniture?

In short. Because it’s fun and because the results can be amazing. Another good reason is that upcycling used pallets/furniture or other reclaimed wood is great for the environment.

You turn some unwanted, unloved items into something exciting and even artsy, I’d say.

You’re creating something different/unique that will fit your home/decor perfectly. No more compromises. Yay! You can make that aged farmhouse table you always wanted 🙂

And the last thing is that you’re saving money. Handmade wood pieces are expensive. This way, you’ll have what you want, using the materials you want for a fraction of the price.

How does wood age?

One of the ways to achieve distressed wood is by aging it artificially. You can have a fantastic aged barn wood-like look in hours instead of weeks, months, or even years.

But how does it work exactly?

The weather(water, sun, earth, wind) affects wood’s looks and structure. When there is no air (like underwater or underground), the wood ages anaerobically. In most cases, this affects the looks as well as the structure of wood.

On the surface, with access to air and sun, we talk about aging aerobically. UV light causes photodegradation. This affects the color but not the strength or structure. And the wind and rain cause oxidation – the more tannins wood has, the darker it becomes over time.

How to distress wood/furniture step by step

Prepare Your Space

Every project should start with proper preparation. This one is no different. So to start, cover the workspace with drop cloths or old sheets to avoid mess everywhere. If you deal with wood furniture, remove any hardware like knobs and handles and put them away in a safe place.

Sand and Clean the Piece

Clean the piece you want to distress. But since we’re distressing, I wouldn’t stress about it. You see what I did here 😉 We want that old, used, distressed wood look, remember?

For upcycling used furniture, sand lightly(if the surface has a finish) and wipe the dust off with a damp rag to get rid of sanding dust.

For used wood pallets, I’d do the same to clean them up. You can also follow the steps in this post on preparing pallets for upcycling as well. To age/distress new wood, you’d want to sand the edges/corners to soften them up. Old, reclaimed wood doesn’t have sharp edges.

Different wood distressing techniques to choose from

Using Wood Stain for Distresses Wood look

The first one is pretty straightforward. I found it on prettyhandygirl.com. To achieve that kind of weathered look, all you need is two stains. First, you need to stain the wood with any sun-bleached color stain (like Rustoleum wood stain) and wipe off the excess.

weathered-wood

Pictures courtesy of Brittany Bailey

Then you add a little brown stain(i.e., Minwax Early American) and wipe it off.

You could use a weathered gray as well. It is a trial-and-error method. You have to check for yourself if you like the results, which also depends on the kind of wood you’re staining.

And what I mean by that is that some kinds of wood are darker, and some are lighter in color. Therefore, they going to look different after staining. 

Some of them are softer/harder than others, and that is reflected in the way the wood is “drinking up” the stain. This also affects the final result.

Using Glaze for Distressed barn/Aged wood effect

Note: Brittany had an update on this method due to Valspar glaze not being produced anymore. So follow this link to learn more 🙂

This is another method I’ve found on prettyhandygirl.com, and I like the final result better. The outcome is kind of like rustic barn/weather-aged wood, and all you need is a glaze.

Pictures courtesy of Brittany Bailey

You mix four parts of clear mixing glaze with two parts of translucent color glaze (here in mocha) and 1 part of antiquing asphaltum glaze. Stir it and adjust the color to your liking adding more mocha or more asphaltum.

The next step is to brush the glaze onto the wood, tap the brush on a stick to give it some “freckles,” or rub it in. She used a Valspar glaze, but any other would be fine.

Using Paint for Distressed Wood Look

How to Distress Wood with Paint and Stain

There are five steps in this technique. They are straightforward to follow, and the final effect looks terrific. I found it on thriftyandchic.com.

First, you have to sand the wood. It all depends on how rough it is. If you’re new to sanding, have a look at my Wood Sanding Tips.

The result doesn’t have to be very smooth, and it’d probably only need light sanding, but I’d recommend using a finishing sander or random orbit sander. Using a power sander saves so much time and elbow grease.

Paint the wood with a coat of paint. In this case, it is white. Any wood paint or latex paint would do as long as it’s not glossy.

But, if this piece of wood you are painting will be heavily used or placed outdoors, I’d go for enamel paint. It would give you that extra durability even though you would want to put a coat of finish on top.

Pictures courtesy of Alicia @thriftyandchic.com

If you want to go for a more in-depth distress effect, you can use two colors on top of each other. Just remember to let the paint layers dry completely (it takes longer for wood paint to dry).

Sand the painted wood again with a coarser sandpaper grit like P-80 or steel wool. The effect you’re after is that some of the wood grain/base paint coat is visible through the paint layers.

You can use a wood stain for a more antique look. Get some dark brown stain and a cloth and rub it all over the wood. Wipe the excess stain off.

You will notice that the visible wood grains left after the second sanding will beautifully pick up the color. And the white paint will turn into a grayish-weathered one. Awesome way to achieve the barn wood look you’re after.


What I mean by this is that if your stain is oil-based, you can’t use water-based sealant. For more information on wood stains, I invite you to read my article on staining pallets and wood in general. I’m sure you’ll find some more answers.

Sanding technique

This is the most straightforward way of distressing wood/furniture. Just sand in random areas of painted furniture/wood. You can do it with several layers of paint for a more aged look.

Make sure each coat has dried and sand between layers. Don’t forget to seal it.

Wet paper technique

This is a simple alternative to the wax/vaseline technique. It’s a great solution if you suddenly run out of wax/candles/vaseline and want to proceed with your project.

Prepare small irregular shapes of paper. Then dip them in water and place them on wood. Paint the piece before the paper dries.

Lift the paper off the surface carefully while the paint is still wet. If you leave it to dry, the paper may stick to the surface. But since we’re after an aged/distressed look, it may actually add some texture.

So experiment. Lastly, sand the paint a bit to give it even more depth.

Dry brush technique

When I used to paint more(not walls but the actual world on canvas/paper), this was one of my favorite painting techniques. It’d give me the ability to add more layering without overdoing it with paint.

And the piece would look more sketchy/ unfinished look than I liked. I used this technique to create a driftwood effect on a mirror frame recently.

The method is simple. Use any old paintbrush with hard bristles. Dip it in the paint – just a little is enough and skim off as much excess as you can. Paint the piece in fast motion. Make strokes in different directions.

Don’t cover the entire surface. You’d want the wood /base color showing through. You can use different colors in multiple layers and also sand it a bit to give it a more worn look.

Scraper technique

This method is similar to sanding but removes only paint and not wood. Paint the piece and let it dry to the point that the pain is tacky. Use a scraper to scrape the paint off in the places paint would usually chip off. You can work with multiple layers/colors of paint.

Rinsing technique

Another fantastic way to add character to your piece and create that distressed wood look. It’s perfect for the soft aged/old wood effect and best used on raw wood.

Paint the piece and let it dry for a bit, then rinse with water and wipe the surface gently with a cloth. That’s it!

Wooden block technique

Another quick technique. Instead of using an old paintbrush, use a wooden block. Dip the end in paint and drag it on the surface. Same as above, use with multiple colors/layers.

Pouring paint technique

This is one of many ways to whitewash wood, and it’s perfect for wood with lots of texture. Pour the paint onto the wood surface and scrape it along the grain with a scraper and let it dry.

Candle/wax technique

It’s a method similar to the paper one. It can be used on raw or painted wood/furniture. You can create a single/multilayered distressed wood look. Paint the piece in random places for wood to show through or cover it all for the paint to show through.

Apply wax(candle) to places you want the wood/base paint color to show. Paint another layer of different color and let it dry. Then rub/sand the wax off. Apply another layer/color if you want.

Using Tea, Steel Wool, And Vinegar Solution to Age/Distress Wood

I think this method is the most popular one online. I’ve been using this method for a variety of DIY decor and upcycling projects like this wooden vase holder or natural Easter decor.

All you need is:

  • two jars
  • some black tea/coffee/red wine(optional)
  • vinegar (white, wine, apple)
  • steel wool
  • gloves
  • hydrogen peroxide(optional)

First of all, you put the steel wool in a jar and pour in the vinegar. The kind of vinegar you use will have an impact on the color of the finished wood.

Darker kinds of vinegar tend to stain more and, thus, the effect is more intense. Saying that it also depends on what type of wood you are going to use it on. You have to leave this mixture for some time (between 24 hours and five days).

How to age wood in 24hrs? To speed up the process, heat vinegar before adding steel wool. Add hydrogen peroxide after the mixture has been sitting for some time(preferably overnight).

Ensure that the hydrogen peroxide that you use is pretty strong(probably stronger than 3%) and it’s freshly opened. The results should be quicker.

UV light(sun) also helps speed up the process, so you can put it outside to marinate. Oh, and don’t cover the jar. The result is a beautiful grey color. But, as i said before, it’ll also depend on the wood you’re working with.

Note: In my experience, the stain’s final color will have more rusty undertones if you leave the mixture out in the sun. So for a lovely gray shade, keep it out of the sun and don’t leave the steel wool soaking for more than 24h(the wool doesn’t need to dissolve for it to work).

See below. The same wooden bunny and three different results. From left to right:

  • A mixture of steel wool and vinegar left for 24h was brushed on and dried, and then I added a layer of strong tea
  • The steel wool and vinegar mixture only-same as above
  • An old batch of steel wool and vinegar where the wool dissolved and the color was rusty

When it’s ready, it’s tea time, lol. Well, not exactly ;)) You need to brew some black tea in the second jar. Make it very strong, like let it sit for 10-20 min. You can also do it at the same time as the vinegar/steel mixture.

The idea of using tea is that the tannins that are in the tea can enhance the wood’s color and depth. But it’s only useful for light woods like pine. Darker wood has naturally got more tannin.

The first step is to apply the iron/vinegar mixture to the wood using a paintbrush. Make sure the strokes are even and along the grain of the wood. You can add a second coat for a darker effect.

After the tea has been brewed for some time, you need to strain it and then either brush it on or use a cloth and put it on the wood.

You can see the difference in the photo above where I treated the first egg with both mixtures(vinegar&steel wool plus tea), and for the second one, I only used the vinegar and wool mixture.

Make sure you wipe the excess off. For easier application, use a spray bottle to apply the tannin mixture. Let it dry, and after that, you can sand it with fine or very fine sandpaper or a sanding sponge.

The last step is to finish off with a coat of sealant of your choice. This method will make new wood look old, but the results vary. Best to test the vinegar/steel wool mixture on a piece of scrap wood, the same that you will use for your project.

Using Baking Soda And Vinegar to Create an Old Wood Effect

This is another simple way to change a wood’s appearance and make new wood look old. It comes from radmegan.com. If you want to use this method, choose darker wood that contains more tannin. This includes cedar, pine, red oak, redwood, and mahogany.

If you want pallet wood to look aged, this method is excellent for unused pallets. This way, you get the imperfections of pallet wood and the aged look.

Weathered Wood

Photo courtesy of Megan Andersen @ radmegan.com

There are two ways of doing this. The first one is time-consuming. The second one is the choice you’ll go to if you haven’t got much time.

Well, who has? Lol! In both cases, you need to put your piece of wood on a sawhorse or something similar to expose all sides. You can always flip the wood and repeat the whole process.

You need to make a solution of 1 part baking soda and 1 part of water. The amount depends on how big your project is. Apply generously with a paintbrush. Make sure the wood is covered in a thick layer.

Now, you can go a long way, which is letting the wood sit in the sun all day or at least 6 hours. Or spray the piece with vinegar after applying water and soda solution and let it sit for 10 min.

That’s some shortcut, isn’t it? Now, after you have done all the steps, you need to brush the wood surface with a wire brush. You’ll see the tannin may come off with the brush.

Rinse the wood with water and dry it with a cloth. Repeat the process the next day if the wood is still too dark.

Finish off with your favorite sealant. Because you want your wood to look aged, I don’t recommend anything shiny like varnish.

How to Distress Wood Using Paint And Glue

If you like the old cracked paint effect, this is a fantastic way of achieving the look without the cost of a professional crackle medium. All you need is paint in two contrasting colors and all-purpose glue or school glue.

The first step is to paint the wood with a base color coat and let it dry. Then smear the painted wood with a generous amount of glue.

Important thing DO NOT let the glue dry completely. When it’s still sticky, paint your contrasting coat on top. Use long strokes in one direction.

You’ll see the cracks forming pretty quickly. And that’s it. You can experiment with thinning top paint coat or glue, or both. This way, you can achieve smaller, more delicate cracks or larger ones. In my experience, if you use latex paint, the results are better and more defined. If you use acrylic paint, the cracks come out smaller and more delicate.

More details on makethebestofthings.blogspot.com

How to Distress Wood Using Stain, Wax, Paint, And Blowtorch

This is a fascinating method for fans of the more rustic, used look. It’s a bit more complex and involves using more accessories than the previous ones.

But it creates more of the distressed, reclaimed wood and barn wood look. It comes from EHow. It’s a great way to distress inexpensive wood.

Let’s start with a list of necessary items:

  • Brown shoe polish and brush or any brown stain
  • A candle wax, paste wax, or petroleum jelly
  • Some paper towels
  • Mineral spirits
  • A fine-grit sandpaper
  • A hammer
  • A wire brush
  • A latex paint
  • A paintbrush
  • A blowtorch
  • A metal chain
  • Protective face/dust mask
  • Gloves

The first step is to cover a piece of new wood with a brown wood stain or shoe polish if you haven’t got a stain at hand. You want to put the stain on the wood surface using an old cloth and wipe the excess off.

Stained Wood

Andres Arango/Demand Media

As for shoe polish, use a shoe polish brush. In both cases, make sure that the pigment really sets into the wood. Let the stain dry.

The next step is to determine places of natural wear and tear, such as corners or edges.

Take a piece of paper towel to rub candle wax, paste wax, or petroleum jelly into those wear-and-tear areas of the wood board.

Aged Wood

Andres Arango/Demand Media

Now the wood is ready to be painted, including the places covered in wax. After the paint has dried, use a paper towel to wipe off the paint from the waxed areas using a side-to-side motion.

The wood grains will start to show from underneath the paint. Carry on as long as you are happy with the result. Then use mineral spirit to get rid of the rest of the wax using a paintbrush.

Now the secret part 🙂 Using a blowtorch, carefully burn the wood in some places. And to give the wood that old weathered barn look that is worn with dents and blemishes, give it some beating with a hammer or use a wire brush to create nicks and scratch marks.

Then hit it with a chain and treat it with some sandpaper. Well, that’s an excellent way to let some steam off … lol.

Aged Wood

Andres Arango/Demand Media

And that’s it. You can put some finish on top if needed. If you like distressed furniture, you should definitely give this method a go.

Using a blowtorch

Another simple yet effective technique for giving a wood that unique look. It involves using a blow torch. All you have to do is to blacken wood along the grains, and you’re done.

Just make sure you don’t overdo it, then paint a coat of finish to seal it. Below it’s a great example of working with a blow torch found on Facebook.

Aged Wood Effect

Summary

There you go. All fantastic ideas for aging, weathering, or distressing wood for you to try. Most of these distressing wood techniques are very simple and easy to follow and can be done using things you’ve already got at home.

I hope I shed some light on all the distress methods, and now you know how to distress wood for your projects.

Distressing wood/furniture can not only make it more interesting but also add value to your piece. So don’t wait and start on your next project now. I’m sure you’ll achieve remarkable results and have great fun doing it.

I hope you enjoyed this article and that you’ve found everything you needed to tackle the next distressing project 🙂 Don’t forget to pin it to your DIY Tips board!

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15 Comments

  1. Really interesting article – my father is into aging wood on furniture and he uses a sort of homemade vinegar/tea stain. I have to admit – it looks brilliant when he finally gets things ready!
    It’s also a non-toxic homemade stain that costs very little to make – well he makes it by pinching it from my mothers kitchen. Great read – I’ll show him this

    1. Hi Chris,
      I’m glad you liked it. There are many, many ways to stain wood with natural products like tea, coffee or even berries. Yo can actually use a fabric dye as well. What is your dad using?? Hope he’ll enjoy the article 🙂
      Kasia

  2. Hi Kasia,

    Some ingenious methods here on how to make wood look old, weathered or distressed.

    Really like the cheap way of achieving the old cracked paint look. Just paint… and glue, never would have thought of using glue to do that!

    I stumbled on this great post by chance, but I love the use of wood around the house, and if you can achieve some cool effects like these without it costing the Earth then I’m all for it.

    What’s your favourite method here in terms of effectiveness?

    Cheers, Tony.

    1. Hi Tony,
      Thanks for your comment 🙂 This is really a top of the iceberg regarding changing wood appearance. There are so many ideas out there and new ones keep popping out as more people experiment. The whole idea with pallet projects is to keep it cost effective, so cheap, home made solution are the way to do it.
      As for your question. I don’t think I have a favourite one because every project is different. The pallet wood differs in type and condition so the final results are different. So one method may be more effective than other depending on these circumstances.

      Kasia

  3. Thanks for this post. In your pictures for the steel wool and vinegar stain, which vinegar did you use on the crate? Balsamic?

    1. Hi, Sarah!
      I’m glad you liked it. You can use any type of vinegar like spirit, malt or apple. I’d not recommend balsamic mostly because it’s more expensive that the other types.
      thanks for stopping by 🙂

      Kasia

  4. This is some really good information about how to make wood look weathered. I liked that you talked about how it would be a good idea to use vinegar and baking soda to weather the wood. I am going to be making a wood pallet headboard and I would love for it to look antiqued. So, this is good stuff for me to know.

  5. Your article is the best I have ever seen about treating wood. A few years ago, I tried the vinegar/steel wool idea but the results were dismal. Little did I know there was a second step! Thanks for all of your ideas!

  6. Just brilliant! I’m over the moon about how I accidently discovered you! Your my kinda lady! I love all things DIY, ESPECIALLY t regarding distressing/ antiquing wood, & you’ve ever so simply & descriptively put all the bests/basics in 1 lovely little spot. Nevermind the fact you wrote it a mere 6(ish) years ago & still spot on! Thank you thank you thank you! I’m planning on trying a few of your methods today, can’t wait to see the final result! You’ve absolutely gained a huge fan today, look forward to reading more of your knowledge and skills!

    1. Hi Kris,
      your comment has made my day! I’m so happy you’ve enjoyed this post and found it helpful. Thank you for your kind supporting words! Have a lovely day :))

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