Here’s a new trend, that’s anything but new. Artists have been painting “faux” wood for 100’s of years. In older communities you could see many examples of cheaper grade wood being painted to look like more expensive woods.
Last spring I traveled to Kansas City to take a wood graining class offered by an accomplished artist Mike Macneil, www.mikemacneil.com. It was a very intense class and I was amazed at what he taught me. Of course I had to purchase those expensive paintbrushes!!
Many well meaning friends and family asked why I would go to such expense. So now I’m obliged to show you why.
Here is my very standard front metal door, put in my new home by the builder and painted with nasty flat paint that showed every fingerprint and smudge, uuggh. The after pictures are also in my “off the wall” album.
For my door I decided to try walnut faux, first because I like walnut and secondly because everything in my house is oak and I wanted the door to show up. If this had been for a client I may have suggested oak, to blend with the other woods in the house. At the same time I was working on this door I also did my back door.
It’s made a huge difference!! I loved the convenience of the blinds in the door but hated the look. I love the new look of both doors, of course I also love to see the look on faces when I say, how do you like my metal door? Someone recently taped it to hear the metal sound!!
When I showed the pictures to a friend she said "I have the same doors, please do mine too". She loves the distressed black look so I did that on the outside of the door and a oak color wood for the inside.
The black exterior was really quick, and really does have an old painted wood feeling.
I also did her back door, but I’ll have to go back and take pictures when it’s dark. (If you have a great idea for me to take pictures without the light messing up the shot please let me know!)
So are you curious how this is done? People ask me this all the time; the simplest answer is that it is a multi-step process. My door had 2 coats of woody yellow, then 2 passes of wood graining with a gold glaze sandwiched in, and then 2 coats of varnish. I am using all water base products that are better for me, you and the life of the door. Each panel or “board” has to be taped off individually. Not the quickest thing to do, but there's no way to get the look of real wood in just minutes.
Let me know what you think.