How to create a wooden plank effect?

Question

We're holding a medieval themed pary at our house and we are having a drawbridge that people will walk over to enter the party. It's been made, and the wooden drawbridge part is made out of thick ply. I want to paint this to make it look like it is old wooden planks of wood nailed together, how a drawbridge would actually look. Can anyone give me any tips or advice?

Answer 1

just paint what would look like wooden planks crosswise on the walkway.  

Answer 2

paint it brown than put black stripes so it looks like  single planks  

Answer 3

I would take a circular saw, set the blade to cut 1/16" to 1mm and score across the length, about 5-6" apart.  then paint.  Run over the grooves with a darker paint when you have the base coat down.  You can also faux finish in knots and cracks with your darker color.

Hint for getting a darker paint:  Have your base color made up at the paint store.  Then in a little jar you bring in, ask for a couple of squirts of UTC (pigments from the tinting machine) to make it darker.  Paint your base, make sure it's ok, then dump in the UTC and stir like crazy for a couple of minutes.  Then you only have to buy one can of paint.