How do I whitewash wood? I am not sure if it has an actual finish on it, but would that make a difference?

Question

How do I whitewash wood? I am not sure if it has an actual finish on it, but would that make a difference?

Answer 1

If you ask 100 painters how to "pickle" or "whitewash" wood, you'll probably get 99 different answers.

You do not need to rough up the wood, you need the wood to be finish sanded.

The technique is basically this: with either a store-bought stain or one you've cooked up yourself (basically diluted white paint) you paint this whitewash onto the pine, let it set two or three minutes and then wipe it off, gently and with the grain. If you wipe too much, you'll remove most of the whitewash, which is not the desired effect.

My favorite recipe is oil-based white paint cut with some thinner and some clear varnish. The varnish helps to give the film some more strength and body. Just the whitewash stain itself is not really an adequate protective coating for the wood which is why I like to add a little varnish to my recipe. I usually hit the pieces with a coat of clear lacquer, after everything has dried sufficiently.

One tip I would recommend is to use an off-white paint for your whitewash color. Something like Benjamin Moore's Linen White or even something with more yellow or umber in it. If you use too bright a white, it might look a little funny, especially if your pine has any red streaks in the grain.

The other thing you'll really want to consider is how to treat knots - if your pine piece has any. Knots most certainly WILL bleed through the whitewash, not right away, but in the future, which may or may not be pleasing to you. I prefer to seal the knots to minimize this effect since they show through the translucent whitewash anyway. Some people paint the knots with shellac first and I have tried a number of different coatings including thinned down epoxy on knots to keep them from bleeding through. I've had the best luck with the epoxy. The shellac works okay, but is not 100% infallible. Oil-based things like varnish or polyurethane will not work as the vehicles in those finishes dilute the pine resin in the knots and cause them to bleed through immediately.

I really encourage you to make your own whitewash, just experiment with some scrap pine until you get an effect you like. There is no right or wrong way to do this. Basically, you're just applying a very thin coat of thinned down (diluted) paint. Making your own is a lot cheaper than buying some commercial stuff.

Oh, I just re-read your post - you didn't mention pine at all! I don't know why I assumed that. Yes, you can do this effect over wood that has some finish on it already, just make sure to scuff that finish up so that your new, pickled whitewash finish has some "tooth" to get a good mechanical bond. Don't rough it up too much. 150 to 180 grit paper should be quite sufficient for that purpose. If this is over bare wood, sand the piece well, to 220 grit.

Answer 2

You will need to rough up the surface a bit by sanding it lightly so the stain can set.  

If the wood already has a finish this is even more important.  

Go to your local paint store or DIY center and they will have all the supplies you need, whether you decide to whitewash, stain or milk paint and they will be able to give you instructions for your project.

Answer 3

They make a product, just like a stain to whitewash wood.  Check with your local paint store, they will be able to point you in the right direction.