How to Whitewash When Painting Wood
Whitewash is a practical paint that seals wood and effectively reflects heat. It can also make the grain in the wood more noticeable and provide a homey appearance to wooden furniture that is particularly suited to rustic decor. In addition to these benefits, it is also economical and simple to apply. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Prepare the wood. Sand off old paint or stain with a medium, 80- to 100-grit sandpaper. Smooth the surface with a fine, 120- to 150-grit sandpaper. Wipe down the surface of the wood with a damp cloth to remove any remaining particles.
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2
Apply a layer of the whitewash to the wood, painting in the direction of the grain. Allow it to fully dry. The dry time depends on the type of whitewash used, ranging from 15 to 30 minutes for alcohol-based whitewash to 24 hours or more if it is oil-based.
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Repeat Step 2 until the desired look is achieved. Each additional coat will make the surface whiter and reduce the amount of grain that shows through.
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Gently wipe the freshly painted surface with a clean, dry cloth if you desire a more rustic look. This will remove excess paint and allow more of the wood’s grain to show through.
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Sand any spots where you desire extra grain to show through or at which extra paint had pooled, once the last layer of whitewash has dried. Use a 150-grit sandpaper to remove extra paint or a 240-grit sandpaper to smooth away bumps in the whitewash itself. Wipe the wood with a clean, dry cloth to remove any excess particles.
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Tips & Warnings
Although it is possible to buy specific whitewash in stores, you can make your own whitewash by thinning regular white paint and mixing in a little gray paint. Water is a common thinner for this purpose, although it can cause problems if used excessively for oil-based paints. Paint thinner is also a viable option.
If you desire a vintage look, give the corners and edges an extra sanding until more of the natural color of the wood shows through those spots. This will give the piece the appearance of age.
Historically, whitewash has been a wood-sealant, but modern products and techniques may not perform this function adequately. If any of the wood’s original color shows through the whitewash, then a wood sealer should also be used after the paint has dried and any desired additional sanding has been done.
In preparing the wood, do not sand using grits above 150, as doing so will reduce the amount of whitewash that the wood will absorb and thus will greatly increase the number of coats you will need to apply. Also avoid "going through the grits" (starting at a low-grit sandpaper and progressing through each grit-level): although this will produce a smoother piece of wood, it can also produce the same problem as using too fine a sandpaper.
Always work in a well-ventilated area when using paint and other chemicals.
References
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