Mia Jensen
This weathered wood stain technique is so easy to recreate on furniture pieces. The softened gray wood stain is perfect for a beachy look or even a farmhouse look.
When the mood strikes to create, I don’t want to spend my time hunting down specialty items or waiting for them to ship.
This weathered wood stain tutorial uses easy to find products that you might already have in your garage.
This driftwood inspired finish on this dining table is perfect for a coastal look. However, leaving wood outside for long periods of time isn’t possible for most furniture.
If I left this table outside for a few months, it would fall apart because the wood would warp. And in reality, weathered wood can be pretty gross and dirty.
We have a pile of lumber that has weathered naturally and it always needs to be cleaned and sanded to make it usable.
This look is also known as a driftwood stain finish and is perfect for a beachy, farmhouse look.
It needs to be sanded, but I would suggest stripping the finish for the best results. Pine has yellow undertones, so the finished results will slightly vary.
By purchasing an item through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Start with Raw Wood: Strip the Paint or Stain
You can apply plastic to the surface if it’s hot outside and the gel starts to dry out. Clean the citristrip with mineral spirits and a disposable rag. When it’s dry, you can sand to remove any leftover bits of paint or stain. The key to this weathered furniture technique is layering colors of wood stain.
If you hate the results, add another wood stain layer and see how you feel. Apply a coat of Minwax Classic Gray Stain using a foam brush. When 1 section was coated in stain, it’s time to wipe it off with a rag.
This stain is water based, so you have to work much faster, in smaller sections. I hated the results, so I kept going with another coat of Minwax Classic Gray Stain. Apply a coat of polycrylic with an automotive sponge.
Polycrylic will not yellow over time, so it’s my favorite top coat. If you find that your finish feels bumpy, let it dry and sand it very lightly with 400 grit sandpaper. You can use a foam brush to apply polycrylic, but I still find that the finish is uneven and streaky.
The sponge method works very nicely on chairs. Check out my tips for painting dark furniture white! This set isn’t my normal style, but it’s so classic that it could work nicely with almost any decor.
