Spruce up forgettable furnishings or bare walls with the “faux bois” technique, which results in paint that looks just like wood.

Photo: istockphoto.com

The ageless patina of wood grain makes it a popular material for home furnishings. Unfortunately, solid wood pieces—side tables, bedroom dressers, and chair—cost a pretty penny.

• If working with engineered wood, apply white primer to the entire project surface with a natural bristle brush or a paint roller. Some wood products like MDF tend to absorb water and swell.
• Most people prefer a roller or sprayer over a paint brush because of the extra time it can take to properly cover a surface. A large four inch paint brush, however, can cut this time almost in half while still offering the unique finish smaller brushes provide. The Purdy 144400340 XL brush is wide without feeling overly heavy or large in your hand.

Thankfully, an innovative painting technique called “faux bois” (French for “false wood”) can offer the perfect compromise for do-it-yourselfers who budget for laminate furniture but dream of wood grain look. Using this technique, homeowners can mimic a natural-looking wood grain on non-wood surfaces, ranging from medium-density fiberboard to drywall. What’s more, the painter has full control over the color and variation of the faux wood grain, so they can dictate how to add texture to otherwise flat surfaces.

Run the bristles back and forth across a scrap piece of wood or cardboard to get more off, then rub the bristles on a rag. Step 2 Pour the appropriate solvent - mineral spirits or turpentine for oil-based stain and warm, soapy water for water-based stain - into a bowl. Immerse the brush and shake it. The brush head is the working end of a paint brush. Brush head bristles, or filament, can be made from a variety of materials. Synthetic paint brushes offer more versatility and can be used with all paint types. In general, the best paint brush for oil-based paint will have natural bristles. Purdy 3-Pack XL Nylon- Polyester Blend Angle Multiple Sizes Paint Brush Set. The Purdy XL brushes feature the iconic copper ferrule. Purdy loads the brush with just the right blend of Dupont solid, round and tapered Tynex and orel filaments for brushes that perform no matter what the job.

Professional Paint Brushes

With two shades of latex paint and a simple acrylic glaze, you can apply paint that looks like wood to all of your favorite home accents.

MATERIALS AND TOOLS Available on Amazon
– Painter’s tape
– Sanding block
– Finegrit sandpaper
– Microfiber cloth
– Oilbased primer
– Natural bristle paintbrush
– Paint roller
– Paint roller covers
– Latex paint (2 shades)
– Synthetic bristle brush
– Paint mixing jar
– Clear acrylic glaze
– Paint pans
– Wood grain rocker
– Paper towels

STEP 1

Wood Paint Brushes

To prepare the workspace for painting, cover all surrounding areas with painter’s tape. You’ll also want to remove hinges, knobs, and other hardware or décor, in order to protect them from stray splatters. Lay down old newspaper beneath the workspace to keep sanding debris and paint drops off of floors and furnishings.

STEP 2

If painting engineered wood such as MDF, particle board, or plywood, use a sanding block to lightly sand the project surface. Sanding will slough off any upright fibers in the board and level out any bumps. Choose sandpaper in the grit range of 120 to 220 for already smooth surfaces like MDF, and start with a medium-grit sandpaper in the grit range of 60 to 100 for coarser engineered woods. Use a dry cloth to wipe away the sanding dust when finished.

STEP 3

If working with engineered wood, apply white primer to the entire project surface with a natural bristle brush or a paint roller. Some wood products like MDF tend to absorb water and swell, and they’re also prone to expanding or contracting with changes in temperature. For these types of wood, opt for an oil-based primer and coat both the top and underside of the project surface to help minimize warping. Dry the primer completely per the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you’re starting with bare or painted drywall, use a paint roller to apply a latex primer to the wall. Dry the primer completely per the manufacturer’s instructions.

STEP 4

With the project surface primed, you’re ready to apply a base coat of paint that looks like wood. Choose a low-luster latex paint that matches the undertones of the type of wood you want your project to mimic. For example, if you want the surface to bear resemblance to mahogany, opt for coral or dark red. For lighter woods like walnut or maple, select a shade of gold or orange.

Use a synthetic bristle brush or paint roller to cover the entire project surface in paint. When the paint dries, apply a second coat and then allow the coat to dry completely.

Photo: amazon.com

STEP 5

Now you’ll want to mix the glaze for your faux bois painting technique. In a paint mixing jar (view example on Amazon), combine equal parts clear acrylic glaze and a second latex paint pick. Opt for latex paint that is a similar to, but a few shades darker than, the base coat. Replace the cap on the jar and shake the contents to create a translucent tinted glaze. Later on, when you apply the glaze, you’ll want the base coat to still be visible through it.

STEP 6

Pour the glaze into a paint pan, and load a synthetic bristle brush (or a roller with a quarter-inch nap roller cover) with the glaze. Working in sections 6 inches in width at a time, apply a thin layer of the glaze that extends the entire height of the project surface.

Paint Brushes With Long Handles

STEP 7

Create the faux wood grain in the fresh glaze. Position a wood grain rocker—a hand tool that creates a wood grain texture on painted surfaces (view example on Amazon)—at a top edge of the project’s surface. Then slowly drag the rocker down vertically, rocking the curved head of the tool from the top to bottom through the wet glaze until you reach the opposite end of the project surface.

To change the direction of the faux wood grain, simply flip the rocker and drag it in the opposite direction. To create variety with larger arches and a fine straight grain, position a graining comb—a triangular tool with teeth that mimics a grain texture—along the edge of the section you completed and pull the comb either straight down through the glaze or at a slight angle. This technique should create a more random (and therefore more natural) appearance.

Tip: Practice your wood grain rocker technique in advance by applying a thin layer of glaze to scrap cardboard or drywall board and pulling the hand tool through it. When you’re satisfied with your faux wood grain, move on to the main project surface.

STEP 8

Use a paper towel to wipe the glaze from the rocker and comb. Then move to the next 6-inch swath of the project surface, and repeat Steps 6 and 7. If you make a mistake, simply re-glaze the offending area and re-apply the faux wood grain.

Continue this process until the faux wood grain covers the entire project surface.

STEP 9

Allow the glaze to dry completely. Lastly, replace any hardware on the project surface, and step back to admire your faux bois finish!

The process of painting pressure-treated wood involves steps you would not take—and considerations you would not make—with regular lumber. Here's what you need to know.

Photo: shutterstock.com

It’s a two-sided coin: Painting pressure-treated wood comes with complications caused by the very same treatment that allows the material to last outdoors. To produce pressure-treated wood, the milled lumber (typically pine or cedar) is saturated with chemical preservatives. These chemicals minimize the wood’s natural vulnerability to insects and rot, but they also leave the wood rather wet—a state that will ultimately lead to your coat of paint eventually peeling. To paint pressure-treated wood successfully, therefore, you must be prepared to exercise a bit of patience.

Painting before the wood’s ready simply wastes a day’s effort. For lasting results, follow the instructions below.

Project Summary

1. Clean the pressure-treated wood.
2. Let the wood dry (note: this can take weeks or even months!)
3. Apply primer.
4. Apply initial coat of paint.
5. Apply top coat of paint.

For full project details on how to paint pressure-treated wood, continue reading below.

How to Paint Pressure-Treated Wood

STEP 1: Clean the wood

First, before painting pressure-treated wood, it’s important to clean it. Use a stiff-bristled brush and soapy water. Once you’ve given due attention to the entire surface, rinse off the wood and allow it to dry thoroughly.

STEP 2: Let the wood dry

Between the chemicals used to treat the lumber and the water used to clean it, the drying time may be as protracted as a few weeks—or even a few months. How do you know when it’s ready? Once the wood feels dry to the touch, sprinkle a bit of water on it. If the water soaks in, then the wood can be painted. If the water beads up, go back to playing the waiting game. Note that for a time-sensitive project, it may be wise to choose pressure-treated wood marked as having been kiln-dried after treatment (KDAT). The timeline for painting KDAT wood is considerably more condensed.

STEP 3: Apply primer.

Only once you’ve confirmed that it’s dry can you begin painting pressure-treated wood. Start with primer formulated for exteriors, and make sure that the manufacturer lists the coating as suitable for use on pressure-treated wood. Note that, while priming and painting pressure-treated wood may be easiest with a paint sprayer, opt for a brush (or use both in combination) if the job entails detail work.

STEP 4: Apply two coats of paint.

Having primed the wood—and having allowed sufficient time for the primer to dry (it should take no more than a day)—move on to applying your top coats. You should expect to do two. Avoid using oil-based paint here; on pressure-treated wood, latex performs much better.

It’s worth mentioning that in outdoor applications where the finish will be subject to the elements, paint lasts longer on vertical surfaces like fences than it does on horizontal ones like decks. If you don’t like the idea of repainting every two or three years, consider staining the pressure-treated wood instead. Yet another option is to allow the wood to weather and become gray, and then to coat it with a protective sealant. Of course, sealant must also be reapplied, but many consider the job to be less demanding than repainting, which often entails scraping away parts of the old finish.