How To Paint A Faux Wood Finish

May 11, 2021 by Denise - 65 Comments

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HERE’S AN EASY-TO-DO FAUX WOOD PAINTING TECHNIQUE THAT WILL TRANSFORM ANYTHING INTO AUTHENTIC-LOOKING WOOD!

Hi, creative #sifamily! Did you know there’s another way to get a wood-look WITHOUT having to sand or stain? I’m excited about today’s makeover because this Faux Wood Paint Finish is SO EASY to do and can be used on SO MANY things!

This paint finish is ridiculously easy and to help you along I’m sharing the exact colors and 3 steps. Yup. It’s 3 Easy Steps and you’ll have a gorgeous authentic-looking wood finish. This technique works great on knick-knacks, frames, furniture legs, or pretty much anything you want to make look like wood!

It’s also, it’s Trash to Treasure Day! If you’re new to the #siblog, the second Tuesday of every month we join my super talented blogger friends to share ours before and after trash to treasure projects. I’ll link to their furniture restyles below.

Here’s what I started with. I bought this matching set of carved wall art from the thrift store. They were $2.99 each with 50% off so the set of four was only $6! But every time I went to use them, I changed my mind because they were way too dark for my liking.

I’m so glad I painted them ‘wood’! Check out how fabulous they look now!

Here’s a close-up. What do you think?

I like them so much I’m searching for a spot in my home to hang them!

THIS POST IS SPONSORED/CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS I USE. YOU CAN SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.

SOURCE LIST

Carved Wood Wall Art – SALVAGED
Paint Brushes
Shop Towels
Water Misting Spray Bottle
Burlap Chalk Mineral Paint
Chocolate Chalk Mineral Paint

EASY FAUX WOOD PAINT FINISH

This wood look-a-like finish is simple to do and can be used on SO MANY staging and furniture projects! It works best on pieces with a little detail so the wash can sink into nooks and crannies and be highlighted. Here’s the step-by-step to get this look and I’ve included a video below so you can see it in action!

STEP 1

I started by painting 2 coats of this Burlap base color on the front and back of the wall art. This is an amazing base color for a faux wood finish but if you wanted to go a little lighter and less warm, this Sandbar would be a perfect choice. The best part of painting this finish is you don’t have to be too particular. I brushed in different directions and pounced the brush to create a little texture. So long as you watch for drips, paint freestyle, and go crazy!

STEP 2

Once the two coats of Burlap were dry, I brushed on this Chocolate Chalk Mineral Paint and then sprayed it with my water misting bottle to create a wash. If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can create a wash using 50% Chocolate + 50% water and then brush it on.

STEP 3

Immediately after the Chocolate has been painted over the base color and seeped into all the grooves, I wiped off the excess with a shop towel. Depending on how light or dark you want this faux wood to look, you can repeat this step.

STEP 4 (optional)

This last step in creating this faux wood finish is totally optional. I took a chip brush and dabbed the tips of the bristles into the Chocolate Paint. Then I wiped any excess paint off the tips of the paintbrush using a shop towel. With a light hand, I dry brushed the high spots going in one direction. This creates a little more texture and authenticity to this piece.

I’ve done a similar weathered wood technique using brown wax which you can see here. The concept is the same. I’m creating darker areas to create texture and dimension.

Here’s another close-up of the finished look.

I like them SO MUCH better! What do you think?

If you’d like to see me demo this exact same faux wood paint finish on a piece of furniture let me know in the comments below. If you’re interested, I’ll start keeping my eyes peeled for an appropriate piece of furniture.

STEP BY STEP YOUTUBE VIDEO

Here’s the step-by-step on Youtube. If you have any problems viewing it below, feel free to watch it on my Youtube Channel here… and don’t forget to subscribe! 🙂

And now for some TRASH TO TREASURE FUN!

I know you’re going to LOVE what my creative team of T2T girls do! Below are their BEFORE photos – visit the links underneath to see the amazing AFTERS and to learn how they did it! I’m heading over to take a peek as well! x

1. Girl In The Garage

2. Artsy Chicks Rule

3. Prodigal Pieces

4. Confessions Of A Serial DIYer

5. Salvaged Inspirations (happy you’re here!)

Here’s another look at the before and after.

I hope this has inspired you to give this paint technique a go and flip a few thrift store items of your own! If you give it a try, please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #salvagedinspirations.

AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS FAUX-PAINTED WOOD TECHNIQUE OR FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

I ALWAYS LOVE HEARING FROM YOU. 🙂

Happy furniture painting my friends!

Denise x

PAINTED SECRETARY DESK MAKEOVER
DIY FAUX DRIFTWOOD | NESTING TABLES
DIY FAUX BARNWOOD SPOOL TABLE
GREY WASH WOOD FINISH
WHITEWASHED WOOD PLANTER

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