DIY: Driftwood Faux Finish Tutorial Part One

So I decided to try my luck at refinishing a dark espresso dining table in that weathered, driftwood finish that is becoming so popular right now. (Ya know you might have seen it at Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, Wisteria, Ballard Designs)
My Objective: To paint OVER the dark wood instead of sanding down the tabletop to the raw wood for hours on end.
Here’s a look at the table when I initially started sanding it. (Realized about 20 minutes into the process what I had gotten myself into and decided to find an easier way to achieve the look with paint).

Here’s the finished product….remember this is NOT sanded down to the grain…just looks this way with paint!

The pictures don’t really do it justice since you can’t see the true depth of all the colors.
 
So to start the process, you will need the following materials:
1. Wood Graining Tool-(I got mine at Lowe’s in the paint section)

2. Small Paint Brush (doesn’t need to be anything expensive, you can even use your kids watercolor paint brush)

3. Big Paint Brush: A large good quality bristle brush (Purdy makes a good one. I swear I’ve used mine a hundred times already…even forgot to wash it and left paint dried up on it and it’s still my fav!)

4. Steel Wool: the courser the better

5. Clear Mixing Glaze: I get mine at Lowe’s in the Faux Finishing Specialty Paint Section

6. Primer (I like Zinsser spray primer...less messy)

On to the fun part…The Paint Colors!

So this is where you just have to eyeball it….I usually get my paints for my Experimental Paint Lab from the “Oops Paint Section” (for those that don’t know about the Oops paints…I’m here to let you in on a wonderful little secret, mi amigo! These are the paints that have been marked down to ridiculously low prices because they were mistints or returns. I’m talking $1-$5 for a gallon sometimes! I love these reject paints for play time in the paint lab!)
My Paint Colors for the Driftwood Finish Effect: (Note: Make sure these paints are in a flat finish….the goal is not for a glossy sheen….you want it to have a flat finish to be more realistic of weathered wood)
1. Peach Flat Paint (make sure it’s a true peachy hue….think 1980’s country kitchen)

2. Dark Gray Flat Paint

3. Honey Mustard Flat Paint

4. Saddle Brown Flat Paint

5. Cream Flat Paint

Okay, so don’t over-analyze these paint colors….I know they seem totally crazy but in the end, you will come out with this effect:

In the next section of this tutorial, I’m going to attempt to show you how I layered these colors to create the Driftwood look. Please ask me any questions you have about the materials listed and I’ll be happy to help!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of the Tutorial (to come soon!)

Happy 4th of July!

Here’s a little inspiration to get you in the red, white, & blue mood!

Photo Courtesy of A Field Journal

Pottery Barn….always gets it right!

I LOVE these fruit candy kabobs! You might remember them from Nikolas’ 4th Birthday Party.

Photo Courtesy of Bella Grace Designs

Check out this Patriotic Wreath Tutorial at All You. This got my wheels turning…wonder if I could recreate this wreath with cupcake wrappers flattened out and pinned to a Dollar Store styrofoam wreath?

Love this idea with the strawberries! Again, did this for Nikolas’ 4th Birthday party with giant marshmallows last year.

Strawberry Tutorial at Grin and Bake It

How to Throw a Summer Barbeque by Pottery Barn

Wishing you and your family a fun & safe holiday weekend!

As my four year old, Nikolas, would say….

“Cause Baby, You’re a Firework!!!”

Driftwood Dining Chairs Refinished

Whew! Finally, the set is complete. I have to tell you, these chairs were not an easy task. Chairs are the worst part of refinishing because of all the small edges and corners you have to get deep down into. In the end though, I think they were well worth the wait (and all the splinters I know have in my hands)!
 
Here is the set all together. I love how light furniture really makes the color in the room pop, like the blue wall behind it.


Let me know your thoughts! I love hearing from you guys!

Driftwood Dining Table

This dining table has been a true labor of love for me. After a full week of working in the garage late nights, it’s finally finished! Drum Roll Please….Ta-Da! My version of the Driftwood Finish!
Believe it or not, this is a paint technique to mimic the look of weathered wood.
 
My hubby still can’t get over the fact that its PAINT on a wooden tabletop, NOT the actual wood sanded down and then left in the sun and rain for years. I actually tried sanding down the tabletop first, but after an hour of hard physical labor in the Texas heat, I started mixing paints around to find a good way to fake the timeworn look.
A Before of the table I picked up at a local thrift store. Here’s my attempt to sand off the beat up espresso finish…too messy and time consuming in the heat!

Layer upon layer of paint and glaze and I think it really looks authentic! It even feels like bare wood….you’d never know the difference!
 
This table’s for sale with six matching dining chairs (should have the chairs ready by the weekend). I’m doing the chairs in the same Driftwood finish with a neutral linen upholstered seat. They have great lines to them…so I can’t wait to see the set come to completion!

I’m having a hard time letting this one go…I’d keep her, but I have a problem with switching out furniture every few months, so I’m trying to be a good girl this time!

The table measures: 78”L (with leaf)  x 54”W…the leaf is 2 ft L and makes the table round when taken out.
I’d love any feedback about this style. It’s the first time I’ve attempted something like it. Let me know your thoughts! Sometimes I feel like I’m talking to myself out here in Blogland!

Here is THE TUTORIAL on how I achieved this look!

Linking To:

Driftwood Finish Obsession

I dream of living by the sea someday when I’m old and gray. Until then, I’ll just have to mix some coastal elements into our North Texas home.
One of my favorite finishes mimics the look of driftwood. You see it gracing the pages of Pottery Barn to Ballard Designs. There’s something so authentic about it, even though in reality its all mass produced in China.
 
(Photo courtesy of Wisteria)
Check out Stanley Furniture’s Coastal Resort collection filled with “Weathered Pier” finished pieces.




I’m on a design quest to break the refinishing code on this look without spending hours of physical labor sanding down to the natural wood. Stay tuned!!!

DIY: Painted Thrift Store Chest of Drawers

I get so many questions on how I refinish furniture. So today I thought I’d give away a few tricks of the trade I’ve learned along the way.

I’m a sucker for thrift store finds! Take this sorry little fella for instance. He was tagged to be taken to the dump and marked 75% off when I found him. After a little haggling, I got him for $25. 

 At the time I don’t always know what my plan is when I find these baragain pieces. I look for “good bones” when shopping thrift. Although this one wasn’t aesthetically pleasing, he was sturdy with no major mechanical issues. Sometimes its these ugly duckling pieces that turn into my favorites when finished.

Before I begin refinishing, I try to visualize the end result before starting any paint work. This just makes everything go smoother in the end. On this particular chest, I knew the hardware would be changed out so I puttied all the holes with wood filler, let it dry about an hour or so, and sanded over the dried filler.

I then marked the placement for the new holes and drilled these with a drill bit and my power screw driver.

This piece had that not-so-cute cabinet door with the 70’s Gold Flowers, remember? I knew once I painted the door to cover the flowers that it would look too plain jane. A great trick of the trade to dress up furniture is to apply some Carved Wood Appliques. You can find them at Lowe’s or Hobby Lobby.

Apply with a little dab of wood glue and press firmly to the piece of furniture. I hold it there tightly for about 30 seconds. Then I like to take my nail gun and secure it with a nail for extra stability. (I try to nail it in one of the carving grooves but if it still shows you can wood putty over the nail)

Most of the pieces I find are heavily varnished. This used to mean hours of sanding down to the natural wood in order for the paint to stick until I found Klean Strip Easy Liquid Deglosser.

This is the best stuff on the planet for knocking down thick varnish. I just squirt a little in rag and rub it directly onto your furniture as if you were wiping it down with a wet cloth. Making sure it doesn’t puddle anywhere on the furniture or it can leave a ring.

Important Safety Tip: Wear Plastic Gloves! It has burned my skin a few times when I was in a hurry and didn’t bother to protect my hands.

Step 1: Degloss It! Leave the deglosser on the piece for about 15 minutes and then wipe it down with a dry towel.

Step 2: Primer is Key!
You absolutely must use primer before you paint to have a durable and chip resistant end result. I like Zinsser Bulls Eye the best in the spray can. It’s cheaper and less smelly then other brands and goes on really smooth but I occasionally use Kilz as well. I like to get the spray can so I can spray a fine mist over the entire piece vs. glopping it on with a brush.

Step 3: Paint It! (the fun part)

I’ve tried several different sprayers from air compressor paint sprayers to heavy duty professional grade sprayers. My friends, this little guy is the best sprayer on the market for what I do. I cannot tell you how much I love my Wagner HVLP Hand Held Sprayer.

This little sprayer has been with me from the beginning of my painting business and I can honestly say is the reason why I have been so successful selling my pieces. They retail for around $68 at Home Depot.

To Use the Sprayer:

Make sure you read your manual before starting so you can get familiar with your sprayer. Basically though, you just poor in your Latex based paint (do not use oil in this fellow, he is not intended for that) about half way in the canister.

Then my trick is to dilute the paint with warm water until it is the consistency of milk and stir with a plastic spoon or paint stick. Once you hook the gun to the canister, plug it in and test a few sprays on a scrap of something. I like to use a paper bag or piece of cardboard. You can adjust the dial to spray less or more depending on how the test sprays are coming out.

Now you’re ready to spray your piece of furniture! I chose a soft ice blue for my thrift store chest. With my sprayer, it takes me approximately 20-30 minutes to paint a large chest like this one, making sure to spray in long straight lines down your piece. Let it dry for at least 24 hours.

Step 4: Choosing the Right Finish
There are several out on the market, but I really like Deft Clear Wood Finish from Lowe’s. It’s non-yellowing so you can use it on white and light colored pieces without worrying.

I personally just buy the spray cans for ease of use but I’m sure you could attempt to use it in your paint sprayer or brush it on being careful to make your brush lines even and straight. I like to spray my pieces several times in 20 minute intervals to give it a really nice chip-resistant finish.

The end result will be as close to a factory finished piece as you can get!

The young couple that bought this piece is using it in their nursery. Pretty impressive for a $25 Doomed-for-the-Dump chest, eh?

Do you have any furniture makeover secrets to share?

Hallway Wall Makeover

Unfortunately newly built homes don't have a lot of character to them. I have a long wall in my upstairs hallway leading to the gameroom that was naked for nearly four years. It was time for an easy and inexpensive makeover!

I wanted something neutral with a little coastal flare to it. I've always loved the way neutral thick stripes look on walls, but I also wanted to display a little personal art. So I came up with...

While we were in Orlando when Nikolas was three, we had a candid moment at Disney's Beach Club Resort where Nikolas ran out after dinner to make "snow angels" in the sand. I'm so glad I had my camera with me! I had a series of good shots that I was able to capture with my el cheapo digital camera! Later I sent them in to Walmart to have them made into 11 x 14" canvas'. I wish they had been in a matte finish (not offered at the time), but even still I love them and they were pretty reasonable for all four (around $65, I believe with a coupon).

The paddle is from Pottery Barn. I couldn't pass it up as I have an addiction to chippy old paint!

The bell was a find at T.J. Maxx in Destin of all places! I love it so much as it adds to that coastal vibe without being too "themey" (I know, themey isn't a real word, but you catch my drift).