re: Been messing around the shop

For fake aged barn wood with that gray color-

In a mason jar, plain white vinegar and plain steel wool. Let it soak for 72 hours. Don't cap it, gasses are released. You don't want it to explode.

Then make Earl Grey tea. I tried others with bad results, use Earl Grey.

Then, paint your wood with the vinegar mix. Let it dry to the touch, don't let it get bone dry, but not dripping. Then paint it with the tea. The initial stain is very light, but over the course of several hours it will darken significantly. Try it out on some scrap wood.


Pro-tip- The longer you let the vinegar and steel mix sit in the jar, the darker your final stain will be. Also, the more steel wool you put in with the vinegar, same thing.



ETA- This chemical process is the exact natural process that takes decades on the wood in nature. It is oxidation, accelerated. The Earl Gray tea adds the oxidation tint, mimics the natural gray color of various detritis and particles in the air that settle on the wood as it oxidizes over time.