Products that give the 'driftwood' look.

[JDarvall]

hi,

I have a lot of interest in furniture that has that worn look from the beach. Something that I always think of everytime I finish a piece ready for coats of finish. Love the look of it in the bare wood.

As soon as I put a finish on anything, as I must, it goes from that warm inviting look to something more shiney and clinical, which is modern furniture. Still can't throw that feeling, despite the concensus push for high gloss layers that turn it plastic looking (just an opinion) .

So I was wondering, what success could I have with 'driftwood' products that grey the timber. Maybe afterwhich I could apply a thin coat of some other clear finish so as the grain pores don't fill. ? ?

Interested in anyones thoughts. pictures etc.

thanks

Jake

[tea lady]

I like that look too. Think I saw a video of someone spaying their fence with Bi card soda and it went grey in teh sun in a couple of hours. Never tried it myself. There are some decking stains that are supposed to be grey and drift wood coloured. Again I haven't tried. Would be interested in seeing others experiments.

[BobL]

Wire brush in an angle grinder applied lightly will give an interested "grainy" finish. To grey the wood dilute caustic, ammonia or oven cleaner will bleach the timber and turn it grey.

[shedbound]

I have seen brick cleaners have a great deal of success in turning cedar windows grey with hydrochloric acid

[jimbur]

I have seen brick cleaners have a great deal of success in turning cedar windows grey with hydrochloric acid

I assume they weren't meant to.

[shedbound]

No Jim they weren't supposed to, but they keep on doing it.
regards
joel

[jimbur]

Of course there is the tried and tested method - take it down the beach for a swim.

[_fly_]

Or ride it around for a while.

[JDarvall]

... spose. Better make sure its not a man made beach, else it could still be labeled fake.

Or ride it around for a while.

Brilliant work.....where abouts is that ?

I would never get tired of seeing that on the beach.

[derekcohen]

Hi Jake

What are you finishing with at present?

Do you want a bleached look? Or just a more natural (non-) finish? Do you need a finish at all?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[steamjunkprops]

Bring out the grain with a wire brush, brushing along the grain.
Then mix up vinegar and steel wool. Make sure the steel wool is fully submerged and then leave for 24 hours and decant the liquid. Strain through a coffee filter and you now have pickling solution.
When the vinegar, which is usually between 5% and 8% acetic acid, is left to react with iron, the result is iron acetate. If this solution is brushed on wood, the iron acetate reacts with the natural tannins in the wood, producing varying shades of gray to black

[JDarvall]

Hi Jake

What are you finishing with at present?

Do you want a bleached look? Or just a more natural (non-) finish? Do you need a finish at all?

Regards from Perth

Derek

(I'm really just brainstorming my likes a bit. I don't think I can actually do it, as it won't sell as well.) I really like bone dry looks. whitish. In fact if I could make chairs out of bone I'd be thrilled.

I use waxy white shellac at the moment. Its a clear finish thats easy to repair (scratches don't create a contrast with the natural wood) and it drys very quickly so even though theres a lot of rub work (pad it on, cause I don't like to spray) if I'm running late , and I pull my finger out, I can actually finish to rub out in a day. ... and you don't need a seperate room for finishing....shellacs centurys proven as well. ....but now its costing a bloody fortune. .....it leads to the finish most want (and which is considered professional).... a thick glossy film a couple mill thick....but you can get that finish in a lot of ways (spray guns give it...spray guns are fast...so it must be the best look)

I'd use bleached blonde shellac but the shelf life is annoying. I don't want to just buy little bags at a time, but you got to if its only going to last a couple of months. Last batch I got the last half bag of it wouldn't desolve. I don't think finishes with a shelf life issues are manageable. couldn't be bothered with them anymore.


For the look I was liking though..., probably like you say,,,,,no finish at all. Just scrape (carefully so no start marks), and maybe burnish hard, maybe with a lot of hessian rubbing. Like that because I can avoid a lot of sanding and the chest pains it brings.

Or afterwoods just wax it. Belt it hard with brush.

The problem then is someone will have a go at it not looking protected enough.

I just read there was a 'driftwood' product out, and just wondered if it was rubbish or not.....or somekind of finish that doesn't give a wet look. Which may sound odd, because they all kinda of do that I suppose. .... thinking maybe there was an old technique where some kind of white powder was pushed into the grain before a clear finish was applied. Some practical method like that would be perfect....just raving. sorry.

[JDarvall]

Bring out the grain with a wire brush, brushing along the grain.
Then mix up vinegar and steel wool. Make sure the steel wool is fully submerged and then leave for 24 hours and decant the liquid. Strain through a coffee filter and you now have pickling solution.
When the vinegar, which is usually between 5% and 8% acetic acid, is left to react with iron, the result is iron acetate. If this solution is brushed on wood, the iron acetate reacts with the natural tannins in the wood, producing varying shades of gray to black

thanks. I like that look. Done that a fair bit. but I think it can end up looking too black for the driftwood look. I think vinegar solution is too under the heading 'faking age'.... for it to be worth something it has to be clear and built up with a spray gun ! (sorry, I've got issssssssues with mainstream woodworking)

[Robson Valley]

Wood weathers here at 53N quite quickly. Beautiful silvers and grays.
Next, the yellow jacket wasps chew that off to make their distinctive, paper-shelled hives.

I have tried for many years, in fact, to preserve the gray of weathered wood.
It was my intention to build simple furniture, shelving and picture frames to showcase the appearance.

a) I believe that the appearance has to do with the air in the surface wood cells and some
weathering/bleaching of the lignins responsible for the original fresh wood colors.
b) Any finish at all which soaks into those air-filled cells kills the appeance completely =
the woods just look dirty. Chronic discouragement.
c) Far and away in the back of a very old sawmill site was a big pile of edge cutoffs.
All of it is 2-3cm x 4-5cm, more or less, 3-6m lengths. Fantastic 50+ yr old silver-gray.

So, I hacked some up to fit in the vehicle and brought it home. Crudely milled some for picture frames.
Made the picture frames and _did nothing_ to finish/cover the wood.
It looked as good yesterday as it did in the sawmill pile.

Plan B: If it were a table top, I'd cover that with a sheet of glass or plastic.

I'd like to be able to share some magical brew that does as you wish.
I do not believe that it's possible.

[JDarvall]

I'd like to be able to share some magical brew that does as you wish.
I do not believe that it's possible.

Thanks for your thoughts. unfortunately, I think your right.

I like that sheet of glass over a weathered table top idea.