# Aging wood-Cheap and Easy



## MADAM (Sep 14, 2009)

*Wonderful tutorial and something I need to do ... now, do you have a quick way of causing metal to rust so I can use this method for the wood? Will soaking metal items in water and or vinegar do the trick as well? Thanks again for posting this.
*


----------



## Terror Tom (Nov 3, 2008)

You can also put steel wool in the vinegar and get the same result. Steel wool is thin enough that the weak acid of the vinegar will corrode it rather quickly. I just used the rusty screws because I had them laying around in the garage.


----------



## MADAM (Sep 14, 2009)

Capital idea ... I'm off to make rust and aged wood ... many thanks for your input.


----------



## James B. (Oct 8, 2009)

Funny I use this recipe for turning vegetable tanned leathers black; rust and vinegar dying goes back to the middle ages. I will use it on the new wood of my fence when I finish it.


----------



## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

I was going to go through the trouble of painting my toe-pinchers to look old, but now I'm going to use this method instead. I have a boatload of rusty nails. Does it matter how many you use?


----------



## Crunch (Oct 23, 2008)

A technique I've found on this forum to help take away the bleached whitewood look from fresh lumber is to run a blow torch over it. Turning it a lightly charred, brownish colour.


----------



## alucard (Dec 1, 2008)

I love it when science and Halloween come together!


----------



## Terror Tom (Nov 3, 2008)

No, just throw a few rusty nails in there. Let the solution sit overnight and you should be good to go.


----------



## CoreysCrypt (Oct 21, 2011)

Thanks for the idea terror tom.. I had built a coffin for my yard this year and decided to mess with it a bit after halloween had passed. I thought id age it a bit. Threw the vinegar rust mixture in a spray bottle 
and misted my coffin. Came out great i thought for not really putting any effort in it. Ha
View attachment 103086

View attachment 103085

View attachment 103087


----------



## Terror Tom (Nov 3, 2008)

That turned out great!!!


----------



## Rynnye (Oct 24, 2010)

Thanks so much for posting this! I was faux painting wood to make it looked aged and figured there had to be a better way. I'm so happy I found this!


----------



## BarbWire (Dec 14, 2010)

Wow! What a simple and effective way to age things. Ive soooo many rusty things! I shall have to try this technique now. Thank you for posting!


----------



## Deputydog (Oct 5, 2011)

This can easily be used several ways. If you have anything like tools etc that has rusted, soak it in vinnegar or a 50/50 mix vinnegar and water. Soak time depends on how rusty the stuff is. After soaking, half a day to overnight remove and power wash. It will shine stuff up like new.
If you want to rust an object fast, soak it in vinnegar a few hours and remove. Do not wash the vinnegar off and set the object outside overnight. It will have a slight rust coat by morning. Let it sit longer if you want it rusted more. When it reaches the right look, rinse the vinnegar off. 
Another way to age wood is to boil walnut hulls in water, then pour the water over your wood allowing it to sit on the wood. Does not work as well as this vinnegar ideas looks though, this is a great idea. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## Kev730 (Feb 25, 2012)

How long does it take to get the "weathered" look??


----------



## kentuckyspecialfx.com (Jun 20, 2008)

Some of the ways we age wood depending on what is called for for various woods but most common would be the following for us.
Take water based paint grey, brown, green ect. water it down so its spray able then color away at your hearts content.
Spray a strong solution of salt water on pine and let it sit in the sun for a few hours and you get grey similar to that of the vinegar trick.
We do a lot of burning wood with a giant propane torch but that requires a little bit of skill because while the results are instant a split second in one area too long and youll have charbroiled black wood, water spray bottle optional. lol
A super strong solution of instant tea on clean wood gives a nice aged brown color as well.
For metal we use acid which I dont recommend for safety reasons but primer always looks good.


----------



## Kev730 (Feb 25, 2012)

I did this earlier today and It worked out Great. It only took MAYBE a half hour to "dry".








Before







After


----------



## matrixmom (Oct 29, 2010)

Thanks Terror Tom....what simple solution to an "age" old problem.....


----------



## Terra (Sep 23, 2007)

Awesome idea and soooo simple! Thanks


----------



## The Darkest Hour (Oct 11, 2012)

Awesome post! I have 2 coffins to make next week, so this will be perfect! Thanks!


----------



## Defenestrator (Jul 27, 2009)

Truth in advertising.....this truly is both cheap and easy!

Thanks for sharing this!


----------



## Terror Tom (Nov 3, 2008)

You're all very welcome.  Kev730, are those boarded up windows that you are making? They look great! I signed on here this morning and seen all the "killer likes" and was shocked to see someone had 'resurrected' from the dead this tutorial.


----------



## Rustie (Sep 9, 2012)

Thanks so much! Been looking for an easy way to age wood and it seems like this will do the trick! Can't wait to give it a shot!


----------



## awokennightmare (Jan 17, 2013)

Looks very natural! I like it!


----------

