How To Get the Look of Weathered and Aged Wood

I really love the look of weathered and aged wood but it's not easy to find.  If you do find it it can be expensive and, to be totally honest, paint chipping off of something gives me the heebee-jeebees.  I'm always leery that a chip (containing lead of course) is going to fall off and be ingested or is going to become airborne and I'm going to breathe it in.....it is such a treat to be me and think these things. 😉

*I received product from Amy Howard at Home but the opinion and results I share are my own, as always.  

If you like the look of weathered and aged wood, too, there is a really easy way to get the look.  No sanding is required (yay, I hate dust) and no steel wool (yay, I hate getting little steel wool residue in my finger tips).

How to Get the Look of Weathered and Aged Wood (the EASY way!)

Products used:

Vintage Wood Mercantile - Better With Age

Venetian Plaster 

Pallet Wall in a Box

Putty Knife

Paint Brush and Sponge Brush

First, lay out the wood you want to age on a flat surface.

Shake and stir the Better With Age and apply to wood.  I used the wood from the Pallet Wall in a Box (kiln dried red oak) and it drank it in. The Better With Age is very liquidy (the consistency of water) and will seem to be very dark, almost black in appearance on the wood.

Let the wood sit for about 10 to 15 minutes (do NOT let it dry) and then proceed with the Venetian Plaster.

Mix the plaster according to the directions on the bag.Apply to the wood generously.

While plaster is still wet use a putty knife to remove it using a bit of force (not TOO much) to push the plaster into the grain of the wood.

*Tip:  I used a paper plate to catch the plaster as it was coming off the edge of the wood.  This will be messy but if you use something to catch the plaster it's not so bad.  Also, wipe off the edge of the putty knife as needed to keep things running smoothly.

*Tip:  As it dries the treated wood will lighten up a bit.

The end result is beautiful, aged wood.

I used my weathered and aged wood to make a faux fireplace.  I have ALWAYS wanted a house with a fireplace (or 2 or 3) but my current home doesn't have one so the next best thing is a faux fireplace.

I took a small pantry that I've had in my kitchen for years, deconstructed it and used it as the base for my new "fireplace".  I'll have a full tutorial detailing the process in an upcoming blog post so stay tuned!

It all came together and is just the farmhouse look I wanted.

If you like this, you may also like my other pallet projects:

Pallet Wood Memo Board

Pallet Frame

 How To Take Apart a Pallet Easily

Thanks so much for stopping by and if you try the Amy Howard Better With Age (or any of the other products I mentioned) I'd love to hear about and see pictures or your projects.