I’ve been working on a few DIY projects and yesterday, while painting wood for a project, I wondered if you all know how easy it is to create a color washed effect on wood. This is so simple that I almost didn’t share it here but if you haven’t ever color washed wood, I don’t want you to miss out on this easy paint technique.
Using craft paint or any water based paint and a thick paint brush or a foam brush, brush dabs of paint onto the wood.
Wet the brush well and go over the paint dabs and the wood, wetting the brush as needed until the board is covered. You can alter how dark or light the paint is by the amount of water you use. If the paint gets too watered down, just add more dabs of paint and continue with the technique. Apply as much or as little water as you need to get the washed effect you want.
You can also wipe the board down with a paper towel to get rid of excess water and paint and remove any bubbles.
Let the wood dry and cover with a protective coating, if desired. It’s a super simple paint technique but I love the final washed look and the way the grain continues to show.
Have you ever tried a color washed effect?
I love the washing effect on wood! So pretty. Love your projects and tutorials, no matter how simple they seem sometimes it’s good to remember the simple things 🙂
Agree!,,😊👍
I as a Activity Coordinator for 51 residents, I am always looking for idea’s for their wood crafting activity. Ty
This is so stinking cute!!
I’ve been thinking about building a sandbox for my son this summer, and I think this would make an adorable border!! Thank you so much for sharing <3
I love this look! Thanks for sharing!
I haven’t tried this, but I will now! I love this looks and how beachy it looks! Thanks for posting. Pinning!
I love the color washing effect. Great tutorial! I found you at Creat Link Inspire party.
Does the colour come off when you touch it , does it stain your hand ? Would it be a good idea to put a coat of transparent varnish on it ?
Thanks for showing how to do this , I had been wanting to use water colour on wood , this showed me the way. ?
It’s just like stain at the end so once dry, it doesn’t come off at all. You could definitely varnish it if you wanted to add a protective coating.
Have you ever painted driftwood? I’ve been searching for hours for info or tutorials that discuss specific paint type, etc. Any suggestions?
I haven’t painted driftwood. Do you want to color it or stain it? Could you use chalk paint?
Do you have a favorite varnish? I’ll be using this technique for some small craft items.
I usually use Minwax polyurethane or a spray on varnish/polyurethane by Rustoleum.
Great tutorial! I always thought you used a dry brush technique so this was interesting to learn. Visiting from Create It Thursday.
Awesome! I have tried this before, but I don’t do it enough, love it!
Ah I was looking for this. Luckily found this on your blog. Hope I am able to do it easily. The water marks on my table don’t look good.
Will this work on old white wood windows.
It will as long as there’s nothing that’s sealing the wood like a polyurethane, paint, or something similar.
Can’t wait to try this, especially as I just priced “milk paint” at $19 a can, and I need 6 colors for a project that is going to be donated to a charity as a raffle item! I’ll let you know how it came out!
Love the look so far! I took pictures but I don’t see an easy way to post them in the comment space. Whether or not I can actually complete the project is another story! Hopefully I’ll have figured out a way to add the pictures by then !
Share the photos on the Dukes and Duchesses facebook page! I’d love to see it.
What is the name of the color you used. I’m doing my kitchen in aqua, and that looks like it would go great with it.
What color did you use and what paint brand
What color is this?
I’m not sure exactly what color I used … it’s a craft paint from DecoArt and an aqua color but I don’t know the exact one. Sorry!
How long did it take to dry? I want to add a stencil on top w reg white paint
The dry time will depend on how wet your wash is but it dries in about the same amount of time that paint does.