How to Distress Wood Beams
Distressed wood beams can add a touch of whimsy to your abode. Sometimes referred to as shabby chic or old country, the distressed-wood look is easy to pull off and is sure to get rave reviews from house guests. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Purchase all the required supplies above, including necessary lumber. If you already have wood beams in your house, remove these since you will need to have full access to them when distressing the wood. If you do not have wood beams already, purchase lumber and cut each beam so it fits inside your home.
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Paint your wood beams if you prefer. Most shabby chic distressed wood is first painted a muted shade like white or olive green. Only paint them with one coat of your choice of color. You do not need to prime the wood beams.
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Let the paint dry for at least 24 hours.
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Grab your supplies and get ready to distress your wood. Focus on the areas that get the most amount of wear and tear. For example, the edges of your wood beam should look more distressed then the sides.
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Use your hammer and mallet to create dents in the wood. Gently tap the hammer and mallet in some areas while applying more force in others. Aged wood does not look deliberate or uniform, so use a variety of pressure and force on all your wood beams.
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Put the rocks inside of your sock and hold onto the open end. Swing the sock toward the wood beam to create small, non-uniform marks.
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Rub the sandpaper back and forth on various areas of your wood beam. It's important to have a variety of sandpaper stock, ranging from fine to medium to coarse. Really focus on the edges of your wood to make the distressed look appear more authentic.
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Place the wood beams on your ceiling as you normally would once you've reached your desired look. Make sure they are secure to avoid injuries.
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Tips & Warnings
Distressed wood takes on a variety of looks. The key is to do everything by eye and to add a little more "distress" here or there as you see fit.
