383
Well-known member
I'm finishing my basement to look like the inside of an old barn. I didn't have a source for old wood, so with the help of Google, I found using black tea, steel wool, and vinegar. Here are a couple of pictures that show how the weathering turned out. I started with rough white pine, then added dents, splits, gouges and worm holes. I used an ax, block plane, screw driver, chain, and other implements of torture to give the wood some character.
This picture shows a piece before the tea and vinegar solution.
Right after application.
A couple hours later.
Installed.
I'm happy with the way it looks so far. I did a lot of experimenting with different strengths of the vinegar solution and tea to come up with the color I was looking for. More tea, weaker vinegar/steel wool gives a more gray, weathered appearance, but I was going for the inside, not outside of an old barn.
After making several gallons of the vinegar stain, I finally have a recipe to get to the color I want. To make one gallon, I start by pouring enough vinegar to make a full 12 cup pot into the coffee maker (this also is a great way to clean the coffee maker). I put two family size tea bags and two 0000 steel wool pads into the pot of hot vinegar (an old pot, not the one I use for coffee). After it soaks for at least 24 hrs, I use a piece of landscape fabric to strain it, then pour it back in to the remaining gallon of vinegar.
Even when I do it exactly the same, the color varies from one batch to the next. I try to make a batch while I still have a half gallon or so left, and mix the two batches together.
This picture shows a piece before the tea and vinegar solution.
Right after application.
A couple hours later.
Installed.
I'm happy with the way it looks so far. I did a lot of experimenting with different strengths of the vinegar solution and tea to come up with the color I was looking for. More tea, weaker vinegar/steel wool gives a more gray, weathered appearance, but I was going for the inside, not outside of an old barn.
After making several gallons of the vinegar stain, I finally have a recipe to get to the color I want. To make one gallon, I start by pouring enough vinegar to make a full 12 cup pot into the coffee maker (this also is a great way to clean the coffee maker). I put two family size tea bags and two 0000 steel wool pads into the pot of hot vinegar (an old pot, not the one I use for coffee). After it soaks for at least 24 hrs, I use a piece of landscape fabric to strain it, then pour it back in to the remaining gallon of vinegar.
Even when I do it exactly the same, the color varies from one batch to the next. I try to make a batch while I still have a half gallon or so left, and mix the two batches together.
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