Weathered wood finish

[wtnhighlander]

I know, trendy isn't really the thing around here, but I have been volunteered to help out a work training program for disabled / special needs young adults. They need me to do the power tool work for making "decorative" cutting / serving boards and trays. The students do the sanding, finishing and packaging, then sell them to raise funds for the program.

They want at least part of the batch to be "antique, weathered" style. In other words, sloppily built and grey as driftwood.

Any of you know a technique or product for producing the grey color, that is:

1. cheap

2. fast / easy

3. safe for these folks to handle.

These individuals are NOT severely disabled, they may have minor physical restrictions, but mostly learning or behavioral disorders. They are expected to enter the workforce at program's end, although many may not achieve full independant living.

I'm looking into the usual iron acetate and baking soda methods. Meets the cheap and relatively safe criteria, fast and easy is questionable. 

Any suggestions are welcome.

[Tpt life]

Find a downed barn. Beware the creosote smell that says it was a horse stall. 

[Coop]

Ross, there are several videos on YouTube using a steel wool and vinegar solution. A friend used it to age his new pump house. There is a video butdon’tsee it now where a guy sprays it on his new out building and it’s almost instantaneous. 

[lewisc]

There are a few stains you can get that could do the job. Not sure if it matches the cheap criteria though. I’ve only ever seen them at the hardware store and not used them. 

[davewyo]

I've used hydrogen peroxide with wood ash or mortar mix to give a light weathered look. The more textured the wood is, the better the results.

[Chestnut]

I agree with the above. My suggestion is to take the wood right off the band saw or something similar and not sand it before you apply the finish and then maybe sand afterward. Fast easiest is to find weathered wood. I'd share some of what i have but that's a long drive.

Sanding rough wood is best done with soft pads on sanders either powered or by hand. It takes the edges off the rough boards and makes them feel fairly smooth. I also use a thick film finish like WB poly that dries fast and build up a lot of layers sanding between. Helps keep the look and makes the surface even smoother yet. Technique i used for the top below.

[wdwerker]

Bandsaw, sand, wire brush then apply stain or chemicals then lightly sand to simulate use & wear. 

[Ronn W]

I have tied the vinegar and steel wool trick.  IT works but you have to experiement to get the right concentration.  I enede up not using on a project becuase I could not duplicate the results.

[wdwerker]

It's also very difficult to get uniform results with 2 people working. One goes wetter or dryer and the results show it. On a cutting board there's no reason for 2 people but if your trying to weather a larger piece of furniture it matters a lot. Of course there will be variations from board to board  because it's a chemical reaction on a natural material.

[wtnhighlander]

Thanks, guys. @davewyo I hadn't heard of using hydrogen peroxide and mortar, but that sounds like it would leave a grittiness like the samples I was shown. Is that mixture caustic? Seems like it might have reactivity similar to lye, another aging / coloring agent I have used.

FYI, the staff has settled on "antique french breadboards" as the product the want. Pinterest is full of them. Some round, some rectangular, with assorted handle styles. The kicker is that those made from multiple boards are usually held together with a couple of tapered sliding dovetail keys that span the width.

Oh, joy.

[davewyo]

15 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said:

Thanks, guys. @davewyo I hadn't heard of using hydrogen peroxide and mortar, but that sounds like it would leave a grittiness like the samples I was shown. Is that mixture caustic? Seems like it might have reactivity similar to lye, another aging / coloring agent I have used.

 

I didn't find it to be very caustic. It only imparts a slight greying effect. Sort of a kick start down the grey weathered pathway which you find on naturally exposed boards.