How to Make an Antiquing Wash for Furniture

Whitewash creates an uneven, antique look.

Making your own wash is the traditional way of painting or coloring homes and furniture. Whitewash, also called lime wash, was easy to make and added color to wood. The wash goes on in a thin, uneven consistency that shows the grain of the wood. You can easily make whitewash at home to use on wood furniture to create an antique look. Whitewash is also appealing because it is made from natural ingredients and is less toxic than many paints on the market.

Things You'll Need

• Steel bucket
• Mason's lime
• Wooden stir stick
• Salt
• Powdered milk
• Paintbrush

Instructions

1. Pour water into a galvanized steel bucket until it is half full. Use a bucket large enough to accommodate the amount of wash you are making. For example, if you are painting a wooden chair, you can use a much smaller bucket than if you are painting a dresser. Find these buckets at hardware or feed supply stores.

2. Add mason's lime to the mixture while stirring continuously until the solution is 3 inches from the top of the bucket. This gives the water and lime almost equal proportions, with slightly more water than lime. The exact measurements are not necessary since you will gauge the consistency and make amendments later.

3. Leave the mixture to sit overnight.

4. Pour the water off the top, leaving 1 inch on top of the lime. This lime will have settled on the bottom. Discard the water.

5. Mix 2 cups salt to 1 gallon of water. Pour this into the mixture, stirring constantly. Continue mixing the saline solution and adding it to the lime until the product looks like thin pancake batter.

6. Blend 1 cup powdered milk in 2 cups water to form a thin solution. Stir it into the lime mixture. This helps keep the lime from sticking to the container.

7. Paint the furniture with the mixture, using a bristle paintbrush.

Tips & Warnings

• Apply the whitewash to raw wood or wood that has been sanded and washed to remove any previous coating.

• You can also use quicklime instead of mason's lime to make the wash. However, gardener's lime is different and won't work.

• Add bluing to the whitewash to make an even starker white. You only need need a small amount, such as 1 or 2 tbsp., to see a difference. Stir it in when when you add the saline solution.

• Avoid breathing in the lime as you are mixing because it is hard on the lungs.

References

• Mother Earth News: Whitewashing Using Slaked Lime
• Old-Time Country Wisdom & Lore: 1000s of Traditional Skills for Simple Living; Jerry Mack Johnson
• Mrs. Hill's New Cook Book: Housekeeping Made Easy; Annabella P. Hill

Resources

• Yellow How To: How to Whitewash Wooden Furniture