How to Give a Fence an Old Split Rail Look
The original purpose of split rail fencing was to keep livestock from escaping their pastures. Though it's still used for that, many homeowners choose split rail for its easy installation, relatively low cost and old-fashioned rural charm. Most split rail fence is made from cedar, but it's also made from spruce, pine and pressboard. If you want a split rail fence that looks old when it's not, there are several ways to distress the wood to achieve a weathered appearance. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Split rail fence
- Hammer
- Chisel
- Old paintbrush
- Bleach oil
- Stain
- Cardboard
Instructions
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Start with the right fencing material. For durability, choose untreated cedar for its resistance to rot. Avoid spruce, pine or pressboard fencing. You want a fence that looks weathered, not one that will fall apart.
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After installation, resist the impulse to seal or paint the wood. Cedar does not need protective coatings, and within a season, the fresh wood will begin to weather naturally, turning silver-grey.
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Ding up the wood rails with a hammer and chisel. Set the chisel edge at a 15-degree angle and tap the head gently with a hammer. This will "sliver" the wood in places, exposing fresh color and texture. Whack the posts with a hammer to dent the wood to give it a distressed look.
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Coat the wood with bleaching oil, using an old paintbrush to accelerate aging of new cedar split rail. This method will give you a nice, silvered finish in four to eight months.
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Apply a few touches of stain here and there. Dip an old paintbrush into a freshly-shaken can of brown or green stain. Brush most of it off on a piece of cardboard, then brush lightly over the rails and posts. This technique, called dry brushing, adds texture and depth to new wood.
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Let nature take its course. Rain, snow and wind will do most of the work of distressing the fence for you. Cedar ages well. Spruce and pine will age faster, but are much more prone to rot and insect problems.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not use bleaching oil on fence boards if you have livestock or horses that like to chew on them.
References
- Photo Credit wooden rail fence image by Jim Mills from Fotolia.com
