Often asked: How Do You Make Wainscoting Look Old?

Make the wainscoting’s finish look older by mixing water and a dark paint color, such as dark brown or dark gray, in a 50-50 solution. Brush the liquid into crevices and around cracks and details, or paint the entire wainscoting. Rub excess watery paint off with a dry rag.

How do you make wainscoting look distressed?

An inexpensive and creative option is distressing the wainscoting to add depth, texture and interest.

1. Place a drop cloth over the floor and any surrounding furniture, and tape off the area above, below and around the wainscoting to prevent paint from marring your wall finish.
2. Ventilate the area thoroughly.

How do you make new beadboard look old?

How to Distress Beadboard

1. Choose two colors of paint, one for the base coat and another for the top coat.
2. Wash the beadboard with a sponge and mild detergent.
3. Brush the base color onto the beadboard.
4. Apply the second color with a brush.
5. Wrap medium-grit sandpaper around a sanding-block.

Can wainscoting be stained?

Real wood wainscoting that’s stained and varnished is beautiful, but costs more for two reasons. First, it requires more expensive wood.

How do you whitewash beadboard?

How to Whitewash Wood

1. STEP 1: Remove the existing finish from the wood.
2. STEP 2: Dilute white paint with water if water-based or turpentine if oil-based.
3. STEP 3: Apply the whitewash with a paintbrush.
4. STEP 4: Let dry between coats, then sand before any additional coats.

What is MDF beadboard?

What is beadboard paneling made of? This brings us to panels made of medium-density fiberboard, or MDF—wood fiber and resin, in various proportions, melded under pressure. These sturdy, ready-to-paint sheets, typically 4 feet high and 8 feet wide, can be milled to look like the real thing.

How do you paint beadboard?

Apply a quality latex or oil-based paint to the grooves of the beadboard with a narrow paint brush. Work in sections of about 2 feet wide. Paint in up and down motions for vertical grooves and a back and forth motion for horizontal grooves. Use the paint sparingly and don’t overfill the groove.

How do you stain wood wainscoting?

Staining wood panels Damp the soft cloth with stain, and apply smooth and consistent strokes with medium pressure to rub it into the wall; after 30 minutes, clean with the soft cloth to wipe off the excess amount of stain. When the stain dries, the wall’s color will remain the same after wiping the excess stain.

Should you paint wainscoting before installing?

Perhaps the biggest timesaver is pre-finishing the material before it’s installed. This, in my opinion, should be done whether you decide to paint or stain the wood. It’s also easier to paint or stain the wainscoting while it’s flat on a workbench or on top of a piece of plywood suspended between two saw horses.

Can you stain white wainscoting?

You can stain fake wood paneling instead, and bring it back to life with rich color and even some creative wood-graining. Gel stain is tailor-made for fake wood paneling. It coats and adheres to most materials, is thick enough to apply easily to vertical surfaces, and comes in a wide range of colors.