What is the best way to stain an old wood wall that has typical old wood grey color?

Question

What is the best way to stain an old wood wall that has typical old wood grey color?

Answer 1

Staining weathered gray wood very seldom yields the results you hoped for. If you want the natural wood colors back you need to pressure wash it or clean it with a 50-50 Clorox/ water mix and a stiff bristled brush.  After you rinse it and it's dried you can stain, or seal it with a penetrating oil sealer.  Or you prefer the gray "barn wood" look you can just seal or varnish it.  

Answer 2

look into gel stain products

Answer 3

scott...

I agree that staining "greyed" lumber won't produce the results you may be looking for, but a couple other factors would determine exactly what you may need to do.  Is this a "wall" as in a house?  Is it an interior or exterior wall?  Will it be exposed to the elements?  If you simply want to stain over the grey wall, then apply your stain to a small, inconspicuous spot and see how it turns out.  Normally, staining over lumber that has "greyed" leaves a very darkish look.  When I work with old lumber that has greyed, I normally sand down to new wood fibers, and then apply the desired stain.  This produces the appearance that I'm trying to achieve.  I'm not sure I would power wash this wood, because it won't remove the exposed wood fibers, or it may damage the fibers.  If would be easier to offer advice if I knew a bit more about your "wall"

good luck