Are you completely in love with the farmhouse style of décor? If so, you aren’t alone – it’s a trend that has truly “swept the nation.” If you want to learn how to create these amazing farmhouse pieces with the furniture you already have, you’re in luck. Here you can learn – step by step – how to create a weathered farmhouse finish with paint.
Gather Your Materials
Before you get started, make sure you have all your materials in place and that your workspace is ready to go. While it may depend on the size of the piece you are working on, you should try to do this project outside in an area that is well-ventilated.
The materials you will need for this project include:
- A sander
- 120 grit sandpaper (that fits your sander)
- Paintbrush
- Three pain colors
- Clear mixing wax
- Clear polyurethane
Sand Your Furniture
The first step in achieving the weathered wood finish is to remove the current finish – or, at the least, rough it up some. To properly prepare the surface, you need to lightly sand the furniture. Make sure you get all the nooks and crannies, along with the legs. However, remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect. The goal is to sand the surface of the piece just enough, so it becomes slightly rough.
Add Your First Layer of Paint
After sanding, you need to add the initial coat of paint using a dry brush technique. To do this, dap your brush into the paint and then tap it on some paper to “unload” it. The goal is to have almost no paint left on the brush. Once it’s unloaded, use long, even strokes to paint the wood, going back and forth. Do this until you have a light coat of your first coat. Let this dry.
Apply the Other Coats of Paint
Once dry, you can apply your other two paint colors, using the same dry brushing method that was mentioned above. Be sure to spread very thin layers, so there is almost no paint left on your brush.
Make sure you let each coat dry before applying another. If you want to achieve the driftwood look, only apply three coats of paint. For a more “covered” look, select the color you want to see the most and add one more layer of paint. Remember, the top layer is going to be the most prominent color, so if you want to achieve the weathered look, start with your darkest color and end with the lightest.
Apply Wax and Polyurethane
After you have achieved the desired color, apply the tinted, clear wax. You can use an old rag to wipe the wax on, and then wipe it off right away.
After you have applied the wax, the last step is to seal the piece using a coat of polyurethane. You can use masterra.com a rag or paintbrush to do this.
Once you are finished, you will have a farmhouse inspired piece of furniture for your home, or to sell.