How to Whitewash Wood

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In contrast to a regular paint line of work , gloss over brightens the look of forest surfaces while allowing their rude grain to show through . The promiscuous color and pleasingly imperfect aesthetic of whitewashing makes rooms appear more comfortably lived - in , even well-disposed — get it popular in modern farmhouse , wizard cottage , and relaxed beach interior schemes . Although its results are out of the average , whitewashing differs only slightly from rill - of - the - mill house painting . Here ’s how it ’s done !

Tools & Materials

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Whitewashing Woodin 5 Steps

This project is easiest to undertake outdoors on a fine day — the fumes from the pigment and poly wo n’t be as bad , and you wo n’t have to vacuum up sawdust result from sanding .

Step 1: Remove the existing finish from the wood.

Whitewashing works best on raw wood . That being the case , it ’s critical that you take away as much of any existing close — be it key , stain , or varnish — as potential . Do so bythoroughly sandingthe surface you intend to whitewash . Sanding by helping hand is one option , but it ’s far faster and easier to opt for a power sander . ( If you do n’t own one , you’re able to rent one from your local home improvement kernel . )

Before keep on on to the next dance step , it ’s important to clear up all sawdust and debris make in the course of instruction of sanding . Sweep or vacuum the field , if appropriate ; otherwise , use a damp cloth to pass over the surface fair .

Step 2: Dilute the white paint.

Now formulate the whitewash . Rest secure there ’s no complicated recipe to follow ; rather , making whitewash is a simple matter of dilutingregular white paint . Dilute water - based white key with body of water , and stretch oil - base white key with spirit of turpentine or paint thinner .

The precise ratio of pigment to thinner depends on the flavor you care to achieve :

Before you whitewash the entire surface , first experiment with the smorgasbord in an inconspicuous place . Be sure you like the direction that it looks before committing . After all , it ’s comfortable to contribute coverage but more challenging to take it away .

Woman whitewashes a wood dresser with two drawers removed.

Step 3: Apply the whitewash with a paintbrush.

adulterate your paintbrush or roller , and apply the livid color on in long strokes follow the instruction of the Sir Henry Wood metric grain . The finish dry out chop-chop , so it ’s wise to to complete one small plane section at a time . Should you favour the woodwind grain to show through more than it does , use a cloth to wipe away spare whitewash before it has the chance to dry out entirely . Doing this should result in an attractive , washed - out look .

Step 4: Let the whitewash dry between coats, and sand if needed.

After the first coat has dry wholly , then determine whether a second or third coat is need . So long as the whitewash is wry ( allow several hours ) , you may usefine - grit sandpaperto play down any coverage that you call back seems thick than ideal .

Step 5: Seal the whitewashing with clear polyurethane.

Bring the projection to closing by coating it with a clean polyurethan sealant , applied with a copse as evenly as possible over the surface . Once seal , your whitewashing should look fresh for years to come .

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