I bought this little wooden crate from Wal-Mart for about $10, and decided it would be a nice quick project for "antiquing". It started out looking like this.
I gave it a good sanding to remove the sticker that refused to peel off. Don't you just love those? Or maybe not. Anyway once that is gone, it's time to start the process. Here is a perfect opportunity to tell you how to make steel wool and vinegar stain. I love using it because it lacks the strong chemical odor and toxicity of store bought stain. It works not from a coloring process but an oxidizing process. Keep in mind that it will respond differently with different types of wood. For this project I just wanted it on the base to give it a darker more weathered look underneath the paint.
Simply tear a #0000 steel wood pad in half, place it in a mason jar and fill the jar with white vinegar. Some say not to put the lid on but I do. Just make sure it is fairly loose as it builds up pressure in the jar. Let this sit for about one week. The longer is sits the darker it will be. If it appears clear, that's ok. Just give it a shake.
Brush this on and wait about 15 minutes! Watch the transformation!!
Here you can kind of see the color difference between the new wood on the bottom right and the "old" look of the oxidized wood. Once that has dried thoroughly, brush on some white chalk paint. If you let the stain dry well and have a good chalk paint, one coat may work well. You may, however, need to use two coats if any bleeding occurs from the stain.
Let that dry completely and give it a good sanding with a hand sander and some 220 grit sandpaper. Focus especially on the edges where natural wear and tear would happen!! Don't worry about perfection. You want it to look well loved and used!
Here is a close up of some of the detail.
So "farmhouse" don't you think?!!! And that's what we love here!! If you wish, you can add a coat of sealing wax to finish the project and you're done!!
Hope you try this at home and enjoy!!
