Do-it-yourself wood brushing is an interesting technology that allows you to artificially age a tree. The natural aging process takes decades. But now, with the help of special tools, this effect can be achieved at home quickly and without significant material expenditures. Aged material is ideal for classic, vintage and rustic decor.
The use of brushing opens up the broadest possibilities for changing the texture and color of various types of wood.
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DIY wood brushing: how the process is carried out
Residents of modern cities increasingly prefer styles with a brightly emphasized individuality in the decor of the room: classic, vintage, rustic and country.
Aged wood is one of the fashionable materials used in the decoration of any premises.
The main detail of such interiors is wood. Thanks to this material, the design of the room acquires uniqueness and inimitable charm. But for a classic and vintage style, wood in its original natural form is not suitable. In this case, aged wood is best suited, which has a more attractive and noble appearance. This material is suitable for the manufacture of any decorative element: a vintage lamp, a wooden chest of drawers, stylish doors and window frames, fireplace cladding.
Under natural conditions, the aging process of wood is delayed for tens of years, since the original patterns on the surface of the wood are formed slowly and unevenly. Therefore, this material is rare and expensive. But among modern technologies there is a simple and quick way to artificially aging wood. This process is called brushing. Interest in this method is shown not only by lovers of luxury vintage furniture, but also by those wishing to diversify the interior of country houses.
Do-it-yourself wood aging (brushing) is a decorative technology for processing wood products, during which an artificial antique effect is created for an ordinary wooden surface.The method gets its name from the English word brush - brush. The aging process is also called wood structuring.
Special toning allows you to express the patina effect, when the main wood is painted in one tone, and the pores of the wood in a completely different
The artificial brushing method is based on the difference in hardness of the layers that make up the wood. In the process of work, the soft light layer is removed. As a result, the areas become embossed, which gives the material a special look, inherent only in rather old trees.
Brushing depth boards depends on its purpose. If it is necessary to create the effect of deep aging, the depth of irregularities and roughness can be up to 2-3 mm. Deep wood relief is not recommended for the floor, otherwise the coating will get very dirty and poorly washed. The optimum depth is 0.5-0.8 mm.
Tree aging methods: basic information
Special tools and techniques are used to structure wood. It is based on the mechanical processing of wood using special metal brushes that remove the upper soft fibers. Thanks to this, the solid surface is seen more clearly, forming a beautiful relief. But this is not the whole process of wood processing.
Brushing is used only for the most durable types of wood
To emphasize the appearance and make the structure more distinct, the material is coated with special paints that have natural shades. The coloring is carried out unevenly: the depressions acquire a darker color, and the surface of the texture is light. This makes the relief more visible.
Helpful advice! In order for the artificially aged material to be as similar as possible to wood, the aging of which took place naturally, it is necessary to paint it gray. In this case, the paint, even before it dries completely, must be lubricated from the embossed surface. This will create the effect of a tree standing in the open air for about 10 years.
It is better not to use a tree with a fine-grained and indistinct structure, since the brushing method is ineffective for such species. Such trees are not suitable for aging:
- beech;
- maple;
Using the brushing technique, you can end up with a tree of a completely unusual color.
- alder;
- cherry;
- Birch tree;
- teak.
Both soft and hard types of wood are suitable for aging wood. The main requirement is that the material has a clearly expressed texture and layers with different hardness are visible. Best of all, wood brushing is performed on the following species:
- Pine;
- oak;
- ash;
- nut;
- larch;
- wenge.
It is the correct use of dyes that allows you to achieve the desired antiquity effect.
It is preferable to use coniferous wood for artificial structuring. The most affordable is pine. But this tree does not have a beautiful and unusual pattern. And, unfortunately, brushing a pine tree will not greatly correct this situation. If you use larch and spruce, then the result of the application of the method will please you with a unique pattern and rich texture.
The aging technology allows you to create unusual textures that are suitable for interiors of different styles. Structured wood is used to create decorative elements, furniture, floors. Brushed furniture looks unique and very beautiful.
Do-it-yourself wood aging: the benefits of brushing
In contrast to the natural aging process, the structuring of wood contributes to an increase in the strength of the material and its longevity. Also, brushing prevents the material from rotting and damaging it from fungi and insects. This is due to the use of special antiseptic agents to protect the wooden surface.
Thanks to the process of brushing wood, it is possible to achieve the exclusive and most fashionable appearance of the material now
The result of brushing is an excellent material appearance that meets the latest fashion trends. Using a variety of tools for processing wood and technology, you can get a lot of exclusive items and interior details. At the same time, an artificial imitation of exotic types of wood will be created, the cost of which is significantly higher than the original price of spent sawn timber.
Woodworking tools: brushes, machine tools and machines
At first glance, the process of artificial structuring can seem very complicated. But the method of brushing a tree with your own hands is the most affordable and simple way to visually age natural material. Even an inexperienced master can do this.
A minimum of equipment is required to complete this task. In addition, the technology of brushing allows you to achieve excellent results both manually and mechanically. Depending on the method chosen, the wizard will need different tools.
The brushing process requires the use of special tools, you must also follow the entire technology of working with wood
Wood brushing: tool for manual processing
During work, you will need certain tools for brushing wood.
Metal hand brushes are used to roughly remove soft fibers from the surface of the part, while leaving the hard ones intact. They are used for the primary processing of wood. The stiffness of the bristles depends on the length of the wire: the shorter the wire, the harder the bristles. At the first stage of processing, it is better to give preference to the brush with the hardest bristle. It is desirable that the brush has a wide end part and is close in shape to the roller. This shape guarantees a more even processing of the wood.
A hand chisel is a tool that can be used to make deep longitudinal grooves of various curvatures in wood fiber. With the skillful use of this tool, you can get the material of maximum realism by applying deep cracks.
Coarse sandpaper for polishing is used to enhance the texture of the material, making the natural pattern clearer. For optimum results, push the emery along the grain while working. Using paper with different grain sizes, you can get grooves of different depths and degrees of expression.
After all previously applied substances have dried, the surface is treated with sandpaper to create abrasions.
The grinder, equipped with special attachments for brushing wood, is used at the initial stage for roughing and finishing wood. At the beginning of work, a metal brush is used -grinder attachment for brushing wood, at the final stage - with copper or sisal pile. Abrasive-polymer brushes are very popular now. Such a tool makes it possible to selectively remove soft fibers without affecting hard ones.
Helpful advice! If there is no brush of high rigidity, then using a grinder, you can cut the pile. This will make the bristles harder. When choosing the bristles of the brush, it is necessary to take into account that the bristles are 7-10 times thinner than the soft fibers of a tree. Better to use a straight bristle brush. When working with an abrasive polymer brush, it is necessary to ensure that the surface of the wood does not burn during the robot at high speeds.
After the first stage of processing, experts advise to burn the wood with a kerosene burner. A gas burner is not suitable for such work.
At the beginning of brushing, wood is fired, in which the soft fibers of the top layer are burned
Firing with a kerosene burner will help carry out the following stages of work:
- remove fine wood fibers;
- dry the top layer of wood;
- emphasize and highlight the natural structure of the wood.
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Odorless wood paint for interior work: a variety of materials, their properties
Types of safe finishing materials for finishing premises, their specificity and features of use, prices.
Process automation: machines and machines for brushing wood
The mass production of artificially aged wood requires quick work. Some stages of wood processing can be mechanized, which will simplify the work of obtaining aged wood. This will require variable speed drills and special brushing machines.
Let's consider the most popular models of specialized techniques for structuring a tree.
There are many brushing machines on the market, but it is profitable to purchase them when it is necessary to process large volumes of surface.
Festool rustofix ras 180 grinder or wood brushing machine. Together with this tool, you can buy wood brushes. They are of three types:
- steel wire brush for primary processing of boards;
- synthetic bristle brush for intermediate sanding;
- sisal or hair brushes for polishing the back surface of the product.
The Makita 974 sander is used for brushing wood. But during work, it may be difficult to process areas on the corners of the part. Therefore, at the joints, it is recommended to use a special angle grinder with different attachments or use a nylon brush on the grinder for brushing. Such a brush is highly wear-resistant and allows you to process ends, edges and contours of parts with complex shapes.
The Felisatti AGF 110 / 1010E grinder is suitable for processing both flat and uneven surfaces. The tool comes with nylon and metal brushes.
Using the Makita 974 sander, it is possible to process wood surfaces with alternating hard and soft layers - brushing
Helpful advice! It makes sense to buy a machine for brushing wood only if large volumes of work are planned. Brushes for brushing wood can be purchased with a typewriter or purchased separately.
How to age a tree with your own hands: technology
The aging process opens up the widest possibilities for the master to change the structure and color of different types of wood. Before proceeding directly to structuring, the wood must be prepared. The material for brushing must be free from defects, notches and irregularities, and the moisture content must be 10-12%, but not more than 15%. If the tree does not meet these characteristics, then the wood fibers will tear during processing, and a beautiful result from structuring will not work.
Let's consider in more detail the process of how to age a tree at home. Working with the material can be divided into several stages.
Before starting work, it is necessary to perform the primary processing of the part, namely: moisten the wood. This will prevent dust from spreading throughout the room during operation.
The brush for brushing must be selected depending on the hardness of the rock and the expected amount of work.
Next, you need a hand brush for processing. Depending on the hardness of the wood, we select the hardness of the metal brush for roughing. The bristles of the instrument should easily remove soft surface fibers, but should not damage hard ones. It is necessary to move the brush in the direction of the fibers.
If you decide to automate the processing process using a brush for brushing wood on a grinder or grinder, then it should be remembered that the movements are carried out along the fibers.It is necessary to move the instrument with such an intensity that the fibers are effectively scraped out.
Care must be taken when choosing the speed: too fast brushing speed can cause the wood to bake. When using a hand tool, this problem does not arise, but more effort must be made. Also, hand processing will take time.
Helpful advice! It is better to select the speed on a separate small sample of wood. The optimal number of revolutions is 1500-2200, but for different breeds it may differ.
Wood brushing is a fairly simple, but rather laborious process, therefore it is better to automate it
Then we carry out the primary grinding of the part. To do this, we use a polymer brush with an abrasive applied to it. This step will remove roughness and scraps of fibers from the surface of the part. By removing all unnecessary, you can evaluate how deeply and efficiently the structuring of the wood is performed. If necessary, the grooves can be further deepened, making the structuring more distinct.
At the next stage, you can think about the decorative design of the part. For this, indentations and grooves of arbitrary shape are made with a chisel in different places of the part. In appearance, they will resemble cracks that have appeared naturally.
Then the final polishing is carried out. To do this, you need a sisal or hair brush. This tool for wood will give the details a finished look, fully showing all the decorativeness of the texture. For manual processing, instead of a brush, fine-grit sandpaper with an abrasive surface is used. It will allow you to make a perfectly polished workpiece surface.
Then the wood must be dried well. It must be completely cleaned of dust and thus prepared for further painting and varnishing.
Before varnishing the wood, the material must be thoroughly cleaned of dust
Application stains will allow you to age the product by creating contrasting textured patterns. A generous application of the composition with a quick removal of excess will paint over the soft fibers and leave light areas with hard fibers. Soft fibers quickly absorb paint, which means they are colored, while hard fibers do not have time to absorb the pigment during this time, so they remain light. Wood painted with gold or silver looks especially beautiful.
Against the background of the natural color of the wood, this pigment creates glare on the surface of the part in the sun. This gives the product an original decorative effect and luxury. The product will look especially presentable if the wood is patinated - painting the deepest cracks with a darker paint.
At the final stage, the product is polished again to remove roughness and unevenness that appeared after dyeing.
Helpful advice! The varnishing is carried out on completely dry and cleaned wood. For painting brushed parquet, a special parquet varnish must be used. This will allow the finished coating to maintain a presentable appearance and performance for a long time.
After removing burrs from the brushed material, grinding is carried out, and then coating with stain and varnish
Wood brushing: features of the chemical structuring of wood
Brushing with the help of chemistry is rare, even though the use of chemically active compounds greatly facilitates the process of artificial aging of wood. To carry out chemical processing of wood, you must have special knowledge and skills in working with chemicals. In addition, the method has a disadvantage - it is not always easy to buy the necessary reagents.
For the chemical structuring of wood, acids are needed: hydrochloric and sulfuric, alkali and ammonia. Reagents applied to the surface of the material corrode soft fibers.The master only has to scrape off the unnecessary wood.
Stages of chemical wood brushing:
- Surface sanding and cleaning from dirt.
- Apply chemicals to the surface of the part with a thin layer. During chemical structuring, it is necessary to monitor the evaporation of reagents. It is recommended to reapply them if necessary.
- When the chemical acts, that is, softens the outer fibers, the part must be rinsed under running water and the remaining reagent removed with a soft bristle brush.
- Next, the tree must be thoroughly dried, painted or varnished.
Chemical method of wood aging - brushing with caustic solutions, staining, occurs only with soft wood species
Artificial tree structuring: process recommendations
The availability and demand for brushing allows you to perform this method at home. When structuring wood, it is imperative to adhere to safety rules. The tools and the wood brushing machine should be handled carefully and carefully. All artificial structuring processes must be carried out in special protective clothing, glasses and gloves. If during work antiseptic solutions are used or too much dust accumulates in the air from the wood, then you should work in a respirator.
Brushing a wooden surface is an unusual way to make a wood product more beautiful, unusual and attractive. This method is very popular among interior designers and ordinary people, since everyone can artificially age wood. It takes a little time and effort to get luxurious furnishings or a chic, original, antique-style ceiling. For the best effect, you can patinate the furniture.
Artificial brushing of wood: the cost of work
The main task of brushing a tree is to create and emphasize the uniqueness of the texture of the surface of the board. The result is a material with a clearly developed pattern of natural material. The procedure is suitable for many types of material. The cost of standard brushing is 350 rubles. per sq. m. When ordering additional painting, the cost increases. The price of the work depends on the selected type of wood, as well as on the size of the board.
The price of work depends on the specific type of wood, as well as on its size
The cost of each stage of artificial aging is usually calculated separately. You can order separately grinding or just impregnation. The most profitable option is a full brushing service from the beginning of work to the final coating with the purchase of the material. It is possible to perform artificial structuring from your material.
Workshops that are engaged in brushing wood carry out an individual calculation of the cost of processing, depending on the type of wood, the size of the product and the list of services.
Brushing is performed on any kind of wooden materials:
- bar;
- lining;
The process of brushing wood is simple in theory, but it is accompanied by difficulties and many nuances in the work, therefore, prices in different cases can differ significantly
- strips;
- block house;
- planks.
Scope of wood structuring technology
The structuring method is very popular in the manufacture of interior items and room elements. Such wooden products will become an original addition to classic and vintage interiors. In addition, the advantage of brushing technology is the ability to create exclusive items yourself. In addition, this method belongs to the category of simple processes available to everyone.
Fireplaces, shelves, columns, wall panels, and aged wood are used as ceiling beams with brushed boards.This material creates a unique ambiance for living rooms and halls, cafes and restaurants. The interior design is filled with aristocracy and luxury, and the aged wood creates warmth and comfort in the room.
Simple brushing technique allows you to turn an ordinary interior into an elite, expensive and stylish
Wooden furniture with brushed elements looks stylish and sophisticated. Artificial aging and patina of wood with your own hands allows you to make absolutely any furniture: wardrobes, dressers, pegs, beds. The use of brushed elements in furniture and interior design has no restrictions or prohibitions - it all depends on your imagination and creativity.
